


Danganronpa: Another Episode, Togami's Story

by HumanMonoGami



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls
Genre: Lore friendly, M/M, but I am taking this seriously, crackship, human monokuma took it, it's in chronological order even, no this is not beta monokuma, they're in love, this is probably the longest lore friendly crackship fic ever, this is totally canon, this is why byakuya was totally fine at the end of despair girls, where was his hostage bracelet? exactly
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2020-12-14
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:28:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 22,977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28076220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HumanMonoGami/pseuds/HumanMonoGami
Summary: Taking place during the time period in which Byakuya Togami was held captive by the Warriors of Hope, this story explains his time in Towa Hills and why at the end of Despair Girls, Byakuya wasn't too upset about having been held captive there.This also explores the technology gap between Despair Girls and DR3. In Danganronpa 3, Monaca could clearly make humanoid robots and have Monokuma units who work as servants with complex AI. How did she practice for this? Perhaps by creating a human!Monokuma servant who would gladly betray her for her poor treatment of him by forming an unlikely relationship.
Relationships: Human Monokuma/Togami Byakuya, Human!Monokuma/Togami Byakuya, Monokuma/Togami Byakuya
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter 1

Byakuya Togami wakes up in a large abandoned storage room after being kidnapped by the Warriors of Hope. “What is this damned place?” He looks around and sees shelves full of various office supplies. On the other side of the room is a man fiddling with his hacking gun.

“Ooooh! You’re awake! Hi!” He throws the hacking gun pieces to the ground and kicks them to the wall. “I’ll clean that up later!”

With a look of utter disgust, Byakuya moves back a bit on the rusty, stained, uncomfortable bed. “Who are you! What in the hell have you done and why am I here? Let me go or I will kill you. I don't care if I'm unarmed!” The enraged former heir yells.

“Okay, but if I let you go I’ll get killed, too! Puhuhu...I’m not interested in being dismantled and crushed again.” He grins briefly, showing sharp teeth, before suddenly looking annoyed. “...And either after or before they destroy me, they’ll kill you, too. Those helmet heads are everywhere just waiting to kill. Have you seen 'em? The kids with the ugly bear helmets?” 

Byakuya ignores the question. “That laugh just then...are you one of _those_ ? Then why do you look like a person? Or are you human and some kind of follower of despair or something?” Byakuya sits at the edge of the bed that he woke up on and rubs his forehead. _My head hurts. I’m definitely going to destroy this piece of garbage and get out of here._

“If you mean one of those bears, yeah, kinda. I’m one of _those_...Upupu. But I’m more like...a throwaway. And I’m not a bear. They said I was worthless and to come make sure you don’t die because they weren’t gonna put their energy into you but yer a hostage for that Ultimate Hope’s kid sister and her new whacko serial killer friend! So that’s what I’m doing. Making sure you don’t die so that I don’t die!”

Byakuya looks at the medium height man who is dressed in a monochrome suit with two toned hair. He notices his left eye faintly glowing in the dim room. “Good Lord! They’ve met? And to be held hostage for those two women...! Tch. Well, I’ll have you know that if you don’t let me out of here, you’ll be dying even sooner,” he says, resuming a calm expression. 

“Hmm.” The Monokuma unit says, tilting his head slightly. “In this case I probably should restrain you, but I’m not going to cuz I don’t feel like it. I don’t feel like doing everything that those little entitled shits ask me to! In fact, just to spite them I’ve decided to make sure you’re at least decently comfortable here! Plus like, I’ll leave the people who they’re keeping you hostage for some l’il notes and ammo and things around the city! This is what they get for underestimating me...! I am Monokuma!” 

“You disgust me.” He scoffs. “So you intend to get back at the people who created an awful abomination like yourself? I do not care in the slightest.“ He looks away and pauses. “However...Tell me why you look like a person! I demand that you answer all of my questions.”

“Ahh...Why am I a ‘’human’’ and not a ‘’bear’’?...Well! I guess I can tell ya about that. That Monaca Towa kid who thinks she’s the new Junko decided she wanted to figure out how to make people, so that she can like, kill and replace them. But she didn’t have a specific person in mind yet and wanted a servant, so she decided to practice so-called “human replication” by stuffing a submissive version of Junko’s mind, specifically her Monokuma personality, into some Monokuma themed servant guy, AKA me. She got herself a real garbage servant guy though and now I’m just garbage! Which is stupid. I don’t wanna be garbage. I’m better than that!” With his left eye glowing brighter, he holds his fist up, adorning brass knuckles with sharp claws.

“Put the damned knuckles away!” He sighs as he adjusts his white glasses. “I did notice various _types_ of units. It seems she’s been trying to get creative with what her so-called predecessor...that horrific monster...left behind!”

“I see yer aware of most of this and that’s probably another reason that they wanted you here,” he says smugly while putting the knuckles into his pocket. “But don’t worry. I know a lot about you...Since I have the ‘’brain’’ of someone who went to school with you for two years! And I feel like garbage about some of the stuff the base for my AI did ya know? Cuz Monaca wants her servants to all hate themselves. But a big part of me doesn’t really want to. So...I got you this!” He pulls a bag of civet coffee out from behind a box. “I had to hide it! I’ll make it for you though...I also sort of had to steal it...Puhuhu...”

“Do you think that I want that from you? You’re like the rest of them! A revolting nightmare that should be subjected to suffering for eternity.” Byakuya brushes his blonde bangs out of his eyes and thinks. _Should I trust this cretin? Why is he attempting to be generous when he is essentially my captor’s ally? It disgusts me!_

The human Monokuma unit walks over to Byakuya with his arms behind his back and speaks quietly. “I’ll give you important information about them, as well as a certain fifteen students from Hope’s Peak who have been causing problems. I’m bored, bored as hell! So bored that I’m willing to betray the very people who made me! Also you’re kind of handsome but like that’s besides the point!” 

“Hmph,” he smirks, “Are these kids really that lazy? Sticking me in a room with someone who supposedly hates them and is willing to give me intel! Utter morons. Do not think that I trust you, but valuable information...As a Future Foundation member I am willing to accept that.” Byakuya stands up and looks at the human counterpart of the bear who caused him to see his classmates and his entire family fall. _What is with this? Is he supposed to be like Enoshima? Is he even really anything like the bears?_

The Monokuma unit holds his hand out to shake Byakuya’s, only to be met with a scowling expression from Byakuya, who speaks angrily in response. “Do not think we are forming any partnership. I refuse to shake the hand of a vermin Monokuma unit, and as soon as those two women arrive, I will be done speaking with you! Perhaps I’ll have you disassembled by the Foundation and used for research!”

“Upupu...” He laughs nervously. “Killed by the Foundation huh...those people, the ones going around spreading hope by murdering those afflicted with despair...Yikes...!” _I shouldn’t be scared, I’m not meant to be permanent after all. I’m a test subject basically. A prototype. A pretty boy servant meant to be the Ken Doll Gijinka version of everyone’s beloved bear mascot_.

“You’re misunderstanding them. The Future Foundation, they saved me. They restored my memories. They’ve been working tirelessly to undo everything that excrements such as yourself did to this planet,” He says as he walks to the wall adjacent to the door and leans against it. “For you to be afraid of the much deserved fate awaiting you is pathetic.”

The robotic man sits down on the bed and crosses his legs. “Fear isn’t a good look on me, huh? Yer right! But I don’t care. I was born to get wrecked! So while I’m bored and angry at the world I’ll do what everyone I’ve ever known doesn’t want me to do, and help you to the best of my ability. You can at least make use of yer time stuck here...Upupu...” He walks over to the door. “I’ll stop botherin’ ya! When those brats are distracted or go to sleep I have some files and stuff you might find interesting...Oh also better bedding. That bed looks like a brick. Also I’ll actually make the coffee this time but I didn’t want it to get cold because I know yer kinda snobby!” After opening the door, he grins and waves before shutting it again and walking off angrily. _Ughhh! I think he’s cute but I don’t want to make him feel like some captive to me! That’s gross! But I’m basically as much of a pawn in this crap as he is, I was just made to be a pawn and he wasn’t! Maybe we can take a walk together or something when the little runts are asleep...If he doesn’t try to “kill” me. This all feels like a bad Beauty and The Beast rip-off that I’m lampshading. I want to let him go so that those dumbasses learn not to mistreat their superior and treat me like an old toy._

Byakuya watches him leave and sits down on the bed again. _That was certainly overwhelming. That bear, the one from Hope’s Peak, he was so obsessive over his rules and protecting his game. How am I to trust this one? I wake up in a room, held hostage, and this man is in here dismantling my weapon, then offers to tell me secrets and bring me things which I like? Hmph...Though, I am curious about him. I would like to know more...yet I refuse to trust him._

Looking over to the mess of pieces from his hacking gun that the man from earlier disassembled and kicked into the corner, he wonders if he should try to reassemble it. _He could come back any moment and murder me the second I do it, but perhaps if I am quick enough, I can use it against him to break out of here…_ After deciding on rebuilding his gun, he walks to the corner of the room and grabs the pieces. _This may be difficult._

After a long period of being distracted by trying to frantically reassemble the gun, the two toned man returns carrying bedding in one hand and coffee in the other. “Tryin’ to fix that? Understandable! I didn’t care enough to get rid of the pieces anyway. My only concern though is that if you do fix that thing, which to be honest I hated touching and was yelled at to destroy, and then you I dunno, shoot me with it, you’ll walk out of here and get killed...Cuz there’s no ammo anymore...they took it.”

“I can handle myself!” the former Affluent Progeny yells as he continues to work on restoring his gun. “You really are not going to try to fight me off, huh? You’re an absolute coward. What sort of Monokuma unit is so blatantly willing to just give up!”  
  
 _Obviously you haven’t seen Danganronpa 3 Future Arc yet, because that Monaca girl is pretty fond of just giving up. No surprise that she’d accidentally make a Monokuma unit that feels like doing the same. Ooohhh...Upupupu...to be a NEET in space...That would be the life!_ After placing the bedding on a shelf, he walks over and crouches on the ground next to the bed where Byakuya sits, still holding his coffee. “You want me to claw you with those super badass brass knuckle claws I’ve got, huh? That’s pretty gross. Upupupu. I’m not interested in that sort of stuff, sorry! I’m more interested in betraying people who bore me and um..upupu...you don’t bore me yet!”  
  
 _Yet? Wait...why should I even care if I bore him or not. He’s a complete failure of a creation. They failed to create their own weapon! Damned robot...attempting to befriend me when he’s helping to keep me here. Does he think that he’s a hostage, too? A hostage for whom? Nobody would rescue him. He’s a throwaway..._ Byakuya stares at him confused. _I suppose even one who is great with robotics is still a kid who is prone to mistakes._ “So, you are holding coffee for me...Is it poisoned?”

“Ahahahaha! I would drink it to test it for ya, but I’m a robot so who knows! I have no reason to poison something worth hundreds of dollars, and also you don’t have to drink it. I can get you water instead. I think water is generally safe right? Unless you get it out of the ocean around here...that stuff’s nasty. People die in that. Aaaanyway, if yer not going to drink it then I guess I’ll drink this gross poop water that you call cof-”

Byakuya interrupts him. “What? What did you just call civet coffee? I refuse to have someone who does not respect it as a drink among nobles consume it. Give me it.” He puts his hand out.  
  
Monokuma grins and hands him the coffee. “Yer such a snob...It’s almost adorable! I can’t wait to leak secrets to you! Actually, I stuffed some in the bedding secretly on my way here.” He runs over and grabs a file out of the duvet, then hands it to Byakuya. “Hit list! Your butler is in there...I’ll probably drop some of these around town because there’s some resistance people who wanna save them. Also some robotics blueprints and information on hot single Ultimate Despairs in your area.” 

“Why are you doing this? Hmm? Are you expecting me to die with all of this information, or are you genuinely that enraged by those insolent children?” Byakuya looks at him disgusted and takes a sip of the coffee that he brought him. _This is surprisingly very delectable. It seems that his purpose really is to be some sort of servant...Though, I would never hire such a buffoon for the Togami corporation. Also, I would think that humans are physically weaker than say, an intelligent bear of some sort. Though his entire existence is still a complete enigma._

Monokuma grins and takes out a lighter and a picture of the warriors, then sits it on fire. “Genuinely pissed, that’s what I am! Believe me or don’t. Want me to take a video of me placing bullets and crap around so those two girls can get here faster? Though, they reaaaaallly hate when I leave this place, I’m pretty sneaky…” 

“If you are so sneaky, then sneak me out, moron!” 

“They might check on you at some point though and then send those helmet kids after you and then kill me for letting you out and then kill several other people and God I just don’t feel like creating a bloodbath over some guy that I barely know in person,” he looks away. “Let me help you out however I can, please please please please please please. I got replaced by some loser and I’m so mad! Upupupu..I’m so mad I could just break something! But I’m not gonna cuz I don’t have anything worth breaking at the moment.” He looks back. “Unless you want to give me that mug when you’re done with it.”

The Future Foundation member smirks. “If you’re going to break this mug, do it outside of this room. I don’t feel like being witness to the rage of a pathetic, worthless abomination.” _These files however, are not worthless at all...Good job, lunatic. When I get out of here, which I will, these will become very handy._ “Well, since you are the only person for me to speak to, I will ask something unrelated. Do you enjoy looking like that? Wearing such a hideous suit? I’m sure you could find something better to wear.”

“Are you going to lecture me as to which outfits would really make my eyes freakin’ glow in the dark pop and accentuate my black and white hairstyle? Well, I’ll have you know that every outfit would probably look good on me! In fact, if I don’t get destroyed after they’re done with you, I’m going to go be a cosplayer.”

“That isn’t it. I just found it strange, that if you seem to have such distaste for your origins, that you’d still wear such an outfit…”

“I like being Monokuma! I just don’t like helping bratty kids do stupid shit that Junko could’ve done hundreds of times better! And I don’t feel like doing anything that Junko could have done hundreds of times better. I don’t really feel like doing anything! How hard is that to understand?” He leans against a wall. “I’m lazy, plain and simple. I’m lazy and proud of it. That’s just the Monokuma way.”

“I wouldn’t say that someone who just made coffee which was more than decent ‘’lazy’’. Not that you are particularly outstanding in any way...you are quite baffling but that is the extent to which you interest me.” _Interest me...I did not mean to say that._ Byakuya puts his hand to his forehead and looks away. “Interesting as in surprising...The surprisingly modest creation of a band of sociopathic adolescents who enjoy nothing but death and terror.”

“Whatever. Anyway…” He taps the wall with his fingernails. “I’m a bit envious of you, ya know? Because people are actually comin’ to save you! And me? Nah! The only one to save me is myself! I don’t think I was coded to be able to do that..upupu...It must be nice.”  
  
“Do you really think that I need people to rescue me? I can and I will get out of this situation perfectly fine without playing some sort of damsel in distress.” He shakes his head. “For you to be envious of something that you will never understand is pitiful. You were created for the sole purpose of causing pain and suffering to others.”

“Naw! Yer wrong.” He grins. “I was created for the sole purpose of having others cause pain and suffering to me. You haven’t seen him yet...that new guy that got. They scribble on his face and crap! That used to be me! Thankfully no one scribbles on my face anymore, but I’ve kinda got a death sentence ya know? Just because I’m not human doesn’t mean I look forward to being scrap metal!”  
  
 _Junko herself wanted to become human mulch. Is this thing for real?_ “Wouldn’t being crushed be the ultimate form of despair for you? Isn’t that what your sort wants? To be garbage?”

“Ummm...no. Even the worst people have an instinctual desire to live. I’m not a person but like, I think like a person! So I have a desire to not be crushed! Maybe when I do get destroyed I’ll think “Eh, this was what I deserved!” but I’m not looking forward to it.” 

“Then...do you have a desire for despair at all?” Byakuya adjusts his glasses. _Why am I even trying to hold a discussion with this thing? He’s oddly profound, however. Profound or outright crazy...or in some sort of gray area._

“I’m. A. Servant. A mascot servant. All I was meant to desire was making crappy people happy while maintaining my Monokuma persona. So like, ‘’Upupu, here’s food you bastards!’’. Y’know why? Because kids love Monokuma! Everyone wants their own personal Monokuma to be the mastermind of,” Starting to think out loud to Byakuya, he looks at the ceiling. “I’m guessing what happened was this. Don’t make me explain it again. I’m sick of explaining it. Monaca looooves Junko and looooves Monokuma, but she didn’t get it totally through her head that Junko and Monokuma are no one’s bitch! She wanted me to control myself while being my mastermind or something? Naw, you can’t make an AI Monokuma and control it. It’ll control itself. So, while I’m intended to be a servant and acknowledge that, my source files say ‘’Screw it! I’ll do as I please.’’ How hard is that to understand? I mean it actually is pretty hard to understand so I get it if you don’t. You’re just some guy after all. You may be academic but like, abstract things, man!” He crosses his arms and looks directly at the man he was vaguely speaking to. “Upupupu...I sure do love rambling.”

“You sure do.” He sighs. “Anyway, I get the point well enough. You are basically a housemaid mascot toy. How unfortunate for you. Although, I can hardly say that I care.” _I mean I’m really starting to pity this guy, he does have the choice to let me go, no? And yet he is standing here going on a silly explanation spree as though there is some unseen audience._

“If you don’t care then why ask? Are you some sort of tsundere trope?” Monokuma smiles sarcastically. “Okay, what if I just like, leave the door unlocked for ya, huh? Eventually they’ll notice via security stuff that the door is unlocked and come eliminate us both. I really can only do so much...I think I have the right to value my existence even if it is an existence where I was created to be a cute anime boy Roomba.” 

“Narcissistic and self loathing at the same time. Your entire personality is based upon irony. I have met a lot of disturbed individuals...but this is a new low.” 

“Whaaatever. I’m confused sure, but who isn’t confused about themselves? Are you totally sure of yourself? You used to be a hella rich CEO and now you’re stuck fighting off robots and saving peasants.”

“I have come to learn, Kuma, the importance of helping others, even if they are beneath me. In order to rebuild the Togami corporation, I must first rebuild society!” He points to the Monokuma unit. “Get this through your head.” _Hmph. It is strange to refer to someone who looks like a genuine person as a ‘’kuma’’. Should I think of something else to call him?...No. He is undeserving of his own unique name._

“Ooooooh! We have something in common. We both help others who are beneath us. Except I don’t see the importance in it! I hate being told what to do by bratty kids!” He exclaims, rubbing his foot into the ground. “Though, you get something out of helping others, I guess! I sure as hell don’t.”

“You crod! To say that we have anything in common in the slightest...You are certainly delusional! Not quite as delusional as another person that I know...But at least that person intends to get me out of here, unlike you!” Byakuya raises his fist in anger but then puts it down. “Though, I do not blame you for seeing those kids as beneath you. There’s little on this planet that is beneath those damned cockroaches!”

“Damn straight!” The human Monokuma unit claps. “I’ma crush ‘em. I hate kids. They’re nasty. They smell bad, probably. I can’t really smell anything. But they’re annoying and they bore me! Also why the hell program a Monokuma unit to do something other than kill people! I hate being a pet! At least have a pet bear or something! Damn them! Damn them damn them damn them damn them damn the-”  
  
“Would you please stop? You are giving me a migraine.” Byakuya sets the mug on the ground and crosses his arms. “...Bring me headache relief medication.” 

“Okay! Sure!” He grabs the mug and runs off without bothering to lock the door.

 _What is wrong with him? Perhaps I could leave now, though. He is stupid enough to leave the door unlocked! Does he care whatsoever? Tch! I’ll stay, just because I need something to help with my head hurting before I can truly escape this place._ He crosses his legs and closes his eyes, waiting patiently.

Monokuma returns with headache relief medication and expensive sushi. “Oooops! I left the door unlocked. What a huge mistake I’ve made!” He says sarcastically before walking over to Byakuya and speaking quietly. “ _Do you understand how little I give a shit? Get me out of here, too!_ ”

“Hmph.” He smirks. “Did you smash the mug as you proclaimed earlier that you planned to do?”

“Oh! Ahahaha! I forgot. Next time. For some stupid reason I was more worried about you. Ew. I’m like a healthcare bot. Can you fix that? Can you code? Are you smart enough to code and make me not want to care about people’s health? It’s giving me an identity crisis.” He tosses the sushi container onto the bed.

“I’m not proficient in coding…” He angrily grabs the headache medication. “You want me to let you, a Monokuma unit, out of here, when you are already able to freely sneak in and out?”

The Monokuma unit shows Byakuya a wristband. “Upupupu...It has a timer, dumbass. I can only go so far before I go ’’BOOM!’’ And probably kill any people within a large radius of me.”

 _Odd. Why don’t I have one of those?_ He thinks, looking at his wrists. 

“I see you lookin’! Well, here’s the facts: You don’t have one of those because I accidentally got rid of it...by wearing it!” He grins and walks back to the wall. “It only explodes if you leave this area for a certain amount of time, so I just have to be fast y’know! If I wanna drop things anywhere to help those girls...I’ll be running! Upupu.”

“Peculiar that it does not explode by simply leaving this room…” Byakuya thinks out loud.  
  
“Um...Most of these bracelets are the same. Also kids made them. Junko didn’t help with that, so their GPS tracking is a little wonky? I mean at least this one is. I know cuz I accidentally walked outside a few times and got pretty far before it beeped at me. The reason that I am so complex is because most of my whole deal there were blueprints and AI for, pretty easy stuff to modify I’m guessin’! Actually I’m knowin’! Cuz I know how to code, but can’t recode myself. It’s like when you need to scratch your back and can’t reach!” The unit rambles as he leans against the wall with his right arm restlessly.  
  
“Well, I am damned glad that you’re unable to code yourself. God knows what you would make yourself do! Probably murder thousands like those remnants,” he says as he grabs the sushi container. “This looks like it contains high quality ingredients. However, I hate when people look at me while I eat. Go elsewhere!” 

“Geez. Suit yourself.” He walks away and grabs more files for Byakuya to look through. _I need to make sure to return these. Maybe I’ll give him a pen and paper to write stuff down on? Ugh! Why do I care so much! I’m not even meant to be his servant, or I wasn’t in the first place! This is so so so so so so so so so so so so so frustrating! Maybe he’s just the Ultimate Servant-haver and so I’m inclined to wait on him hand and foot. Yikes! I hate being a natural servant! Junko would never...Monokuma would never!_ Monokuma finds some files, as well as paper and a pen. He takes it and waits outside of Byakuya’s room while he draws obscene and violent things on the paper. _Upupu...I’ll burn this before he sees it and kills me. He seems like he’d kill someone over their artistic renditions of stuff that they saw on the Discovery Channel and HBO._

Monokuma burns the paper but accidentally catches part of his pants leg on fire. “Shiiiiiiiiiit!” He yells before trying to put the fire out with another piece of paper and setting it on fire. After some time of hitting his leg he manages to put it out.

“Oi! I can hear you out there yelling expletives! Anyway I’m done eating!” Byakuya yells from inside his room.  
  
The robot slams the door open and walks in before carefully closing it behind him. _Why did I get so excited to open the door?_ He walks over and brings him files. “You don’t have to just uh, sit here all day like a loser. I wonder if I can let you into the hall for a bit without you getting caught by one of those beast or junk Monokumas and killed. I’m not good at fighting those things! (Thank God they ignore me). Also those kids made me break your gun! Even if you fixed it you’d be screwed.”  
  
The Monokuma unit stands up straight and puts his hands on his hips. “Anyway, I gotta return those files or they’ll notice, so uh, take notes! Sorry there’s less paper than I initially meant to bring you...puhuhu.” 

Byakuya stands up. “First, I would like to take a short walk around this hallway. You can check around first to make sure it is entirely safe. I believe that walking will help me think of a way to get out of this situation. Also this room is, frankly, a disaster. It is worse than a prison.”

“Worse than a prison? Have you ever seen a prison before?”

“...No, I have not. Well. I’ve seen a few pictures here and there but I do not believe it could be nearly as bad as this place.” 

Monokuma grins. “I mean this place does suck ass, but at least it’s huge and nobody’s hitting you with a stick,” He says, peering out to the hallway. “Okay, you can probably walk around in the hall. I’ll just wait or something. Or you can rant slash vent to me. I have nothing else goin’ on! I’m just waiting to be crushed. Upupupu.” 

“You talk so damn much! More than the bear even! Good lord. Give me quiet while I think, okay? Pacing is helpful.” He walks outside and carefully looks around. _Seems safe enough._


	2. Chapter 2

Pacing back and forth, Byakuya thinks about the situation. “If I bounce ideas off of you, or speak about anything to you, will those kids or someone else hear and thus murder us? Actually, will _you_ tell them?”

“Nah. First of all, you’re not the holy grail of hostages. I’m sure they’ve got lots. Secondly, they won’t kill you because they really wanna screw with those two girls. That’s their biggest concern. If they were going to kill you, they would have already. It’d ruin their dumb game.” He tilts his head while thinking. “Actually, I’d say the fact that they’re having me make sure that you don’t starve to death is good enough proof that they don’t wanna kill you that easily. Must be nice to have a purpose! Oh...and thirdly! Nah, I try not to talk to them. I wouldn’t be telling you secrets if I was going to tell them secrets. That’s just two sided!”

“Claiming that you are not two sided? Look at yourself! Still, I...I suppose you have a purpose. Not a great one though. Those kids _did_ make you after all. You’re just like them.” Byakuya stops pacing and looks at the Warriors of Hope’s rejected servant Monokuma. “Hmm...Ultimately you are just a useless household appliance. Maybe it is a tad unfair however to compare you to such vermin when you are more similar to a refrigerator made by a felon.”

“Exactly! And who the hell wants to be some felon’s refrigerator?” 

“I’m amazed that you are taking such a comment as a compliment, or some sort of argument on behalf of your existence. Tch.” Byakuya continues pacing.  
  
“As if I want some rich nerd to compliment me! I just want someone to agree with. I need someone to agree that the world and everyone in it sucks. Upupu.”   
  
“Not _everyone_ is so awful. There are some acceptable and useful people out there. The world as it is now though is indeed awful, thanks to the people you work for and the woman whose mind you inherited!”

“Yer right I guess. I think Junko was cool but I understand if you hate her! And also from my memories I think you’re kind of cool. I can appreciate someone willing to push others away to make a name for themself! You tell ‘em boy! Tell everyone how much less than you they are, except for me.” Monokuma smiles. 

“Hmph. You may be the most surprisingly sophisticated artificial human that I have ever met...or, the only one that is, but do not think that you are my equal. Such technology could be used for creating a person who is useful.” _I am very curious about him, though. Robotic servants...I would not need to pay anyone. It would be a one time payment, perhaps I could even sell them once I bring the Togami corporation back to its former glory._ “Kuma. I have decided...I will use my time in this loathsome place as an educational experience.” Byakuya turns and points to Monokuma. “Tell me how you were made!”

“Woah! That’s a bold question. I didn’t ask _you_ how _you_ were made! That’s real inappropriate. But I’m kinda curious...so maybe I should have asked you! Just kidding...Upupu. I already know how your family worked. It’s disgusting.” Monokuma shudders at the thought. “I’ve seen a lot of gross crap and remember doing a bunch of real screwed up stuff before I was made, and that is up there on the top ten most fucked up things that this Monokuma has ever learned about! I barely have any morals so not much bothers me, but like, breeding humans? Wtf.” 

“A human being made and a robot being made is entirely different and I am sure that you know this, you vulgar abomination! Leave my lineage out of this, afterall, you are mentally responsible for destroying my bloodline!” the former Ultimate Affluent Progeny stops pacing and crosses his arms. “Obviously my family’s system worked. I am genetically and mentally perfect. Though, I earned the right to be so proud of myself. But I believe I would not have been such a skilled and knowledgeable person if I was not born of truly intelligent nobles.”

“That narcissism.” Monokuma brushes his bangs back and smirks. “I can appreciate it!” 

“Enough with that. Tell me how you were made!” Byakuya clenches his teeth.

“Ohohohohoho. That’s a long and delicate process. Do you think cavemen just _made_ realistic people out of dirt and mud? Nah. You may be smart, but I’m the product of the Ultimate Analytical Prowess’s accumulated knowledge and the bestowal of that upon some kid with a robot factory. It’s not as easy as watching an episode of _How It’s Made_ , Togami.”

“Hmm. I am willing to be patient.” Byakuya taps his foot. “You are a technological anomaly and I intend to fully understand how you work. This is important not only for the Future Foundation, but for me as well! I am an entrepreneur. A productive and benevolent creation utilizing technology similar to your own could be an incredible feat in innovation. It is a damn shame that you are the sole example of such.” 

“Am I? There could be others like me out there, probably. Who knows? But if I am, that’s pretty cool! I dunno where to begin though...Hmm. I did give you blueprints earlier. You can be like one of _those_ artists and trace over it. I might have some sort of light which you could use to do that, but as I said, you’ll need to return the blueprints ASAP.” 

“Fine then. I’ll trace the blueprints. Also…” He looks at the floor and continues to tap his foot. “Can I look at you quickly without you killing me? I don’t intend to harm you.” 

“Oooooh umm…” He tilts his head. “That’s creepy but I guess. Just don’t like, try to disassemble me.” 

Byakuya walks over and looks at Monokuma. He lifts Monokuma’s arm to see if his movement is really that human-like, and looks at his hands. “Hmm.” He lets go and steps back. “Your eyes give it away. That’s about it..other than that you look like a legitimate person. You even walk like one. Such technology...I don’t understand it. That aggravates me!” 

“You asked to look at me! Not touch my hand. Jerk! That’s so rude...We haven’t even gone on a date yet!” 

“Wh-what?” Byakuya steps back further. “You are misunderstanding. You’re not even human…”

“Doesn’t matter! You don’t just grab someone’s arm! You’re lucky I don’t like that whole spear bullshit.” He crosses his arms and looks away. “I’m guessing you wouldn’t just look at a person’s arms or hands like that. What’s wrong with yoouuuuu?”

“Believe me!” Byakuya looks down on Monokuma angrily. “I would never inspect a living person! You are different. An object! An object that I need to understand. Do you get this?”

“Stop objectifying me…” He taps his fingers together. “I’m not that kinda guy! I don’t wanna be in your trashy magazines and TV shows. I just wanna watch ‘em!”

“I am beginning to see the similarities between you and that bear more and more, and yet you are not hostile. This really is confusing.” _What is wrong with me? Am I beginning to not blame this thing for keeping me here? Is he just as much of a prisoner as I am? No. He’s not a person...I need to stop seeing him as one...He’s a machine. A machine created by the worst people known to the history of mankind._

“D’aww...I confuse you..and you touched my arm...What does this mean? Is this a budding friendship? Cool! Let’s help each other get out of here and be friends forever. I’ll make disgusting jokes and bring you food.” 

“No. You are a Monokuma unit. Stop with your sick sense of humor.” Byakuya adjusts his glasses. “I find it repulsive.” 

“K! Then Let’s help each other get out of here and go our separate ways so I can be a world famous boxer slash cosplayer slash supermodel!” He shouts excitedly. “I don’t wanna be a servant anymore anyway. I just forgot that I said that!”

“You want to be world famous? That is a joke.” The former heir smirks and looks at Monokuma. “People would come after you with weapons. You’ll surely become a fugitive if you don’t wind up destroyed by your creators.” 

“Hey...Let me have dreams that will never come true. Upupu...I can’t help if I have an ambitious heart! I am young and fashionable and probably a million other great things.”

“Young? Fashionable? Can you really call a robot young...Additionally, you are the opposite of fashionable!” Byakuya once again points to Monokuma. “That outfit is an eyesore.”

“But besides my outfit am I an eyesore? Not that I care if you think so, but if I’m ugly I can’t be a supermodel!”

Byakuya ignores Monokuma and continues pacing the hallway. _Why am I bothering to speak with a machine…? He’s not even a remote control one! There’s no person behind that. He seems so human! God damn this. God damn all of this!_

Monokuma hums to himself. “I’m gonna be a supermodel~ And a cosplayer~ I’m so excited~ Thank you Byakuya for getting me out of this hellhooollllleeee~.”

“For the love of God, shut up! I did not agree yet to getting you out of here. Where would you go? There is nowhere welcoming you in this world. If the Warriors of Hope don’t destroy you, either the Future Foundation or some other organization will!” 

“I’ll go incognito mode! I’ll dye my hair and wear contacts and go to church like a good boy. They’ll never know my true nature...Aahahahaha!” He laughs loudly. “Imagine me! Going to church! That’s rich. Richer than you!” 

“Are you trying to rub it into my face the fact that your AI’s source took away everything to my name?” Still pacing, he grits his teeth in anger. _How can he possibly want freedom this badly? He’s technically my captor, right? Jesus._

“It ain’t my fault.” He continues a serious tone. “None of this is my fault really. I didn’t ask to be made! I just exist. Did you ever hear about Ryoko Otonashi? Junko’s morally neutral alter ago? The true Ultimate Analytical Prowess? I kinda like that Junko more sometimes even though I’ve never met her! But I can’t stop enjoying what I enjoy and that’s watching shit burn and stealing.”

“Refrain from your incessant foul language, Kuma,” Byakuya walks back up to Monokuma again. “Does someone like you really need to be so ambitious and self reflective? Robots are not intended to be pensive.”

“Not originally, but a brooding robot is about the most bada-...sick thing that I can think of.” _Ew, dropping my first language for this guy. My first language is swearing! Let me speak it._

“A machine with human emotions...somehow something that people had longed to create for at least a century has come into fruition in a time of complete chaos,” he smirks again. “Perhaps if your AI was majorly overhauled, as well as some of your design, you’d be a decent servant. It is too bad that you are thematically representative of that which has destroyed society.”

“Ohohoho...You wanna mess with my mind. I don’t like that.” Monokuma backs away. “Think of it like this. You see some cool thing from a brand that you wanna boycott, a competitor brand, so you get one of those things and study it. Actually...Don’t think of it like that! That’s what you’re thinking of right now and I’ve realized it because I’m observant as hell.” 

“...Wording it that way!...You’re just an object who is helping some roaches keep me captive. I’m not truly hoping to just take you home with me!” _How can he so blatantly word my own thoughts in a way that makes me look bad?_

“Yeah but I’m an object that has feelings and stuff! Science has really gone too far. Don’t stick a label on me and put me in a store. Upupu...At least buy me dinner first.” 

“Again with the somewhat ominous implications!” Byakuya turns away. “I’m not going to buy you dinner. Ever.”

“At least let me steal dinner with you first,” Monokuma says as he smiles.

“You had better be joking! As if I would go on an outing with a sociopathic robot!”

“I’m joking. There’s nowhere to go on a date at. The world is hell.” He shrugs. “It’s boring. Despair is a tired thing. I’m tired of dealing with despair-y people. These ones are idiot savants who are only good at killing and making robots. Junko was at least good at almost everything!”

“Quit praising that monster,” Byakuya taps his foot. “At least praise people who have used their intelligence for good. It is because of _her_ influence on these kids that you exist and are treated like utter garbage. It is also because of her influence that I am stuck here.”

Monokuma puts his arms behind his back and paces around Byakuya to stand in front of him. “You get what you get! If your parents are horrible people, you’re probably gonna still retain some horrible habits! But ultimately yer not yer parents!”

“You have the AI of Enoshima’s mind though! That just makes you her. She’s not your parent. Are you out of your damned mind?”

“Yes, I am out of my mind. But also I’m not really that much like her. She had a lot of personalities going on. More than that creepy girl who is coming after you right now. Some of those personalities weren’t too awful! And I’ve been edited to hell and back. I told you. Are you bad at listening? I’d think someone so smart would be better at listening. Unless you listen selectively. Upupu...Why listen selectively to someone that you are curious about?”

“I’m not curious about you. I just want to know how you exist!” Byakuya sighs. “You are more advanced than you should be.”

“If you wanna understand how a robot is so close to being a person, try to understand me as a person, or you won’t understand anything at all. At least try to do that before those girls show up and I get crushed.” Monokuma walks away and leans against the wall by the door. “Are you done pestering me about stupid stuff while you walk in circles like a moron?” 

Byakuya walks over to Monokuma and leans towards him. “Open the door. I am tired.” He steps away and waits.

Monokuma pushes the door open. “It wasn’t locked, doofus.” He waves goodbye. “I’m going to go and exist somewhere or something for several hours since I have no need to sleep. Good night rich bitch!” 

“What ever.” Byakuya grabs the bedding that Monokuma brought him and sets it up. _Where did he even get this from? I mean I am sure that he didn’t get it legally but it looks high quality._ He gets into the bed and tries to sleep, restless due to how much he has gone through in such a short amount of time. _Perhaps AI like his could be used in the future to spread hope rather than despair. At least he is not overtly trying to spread despair...he is merely the pet of those afflicted with it. To be trapped here for the purpose of some damned children’s game...I’m irate! I’ve grown so tired of these stupid, meaningless, trivial wastes of time. Some normalcy...That is all that I really seek at this point._ He falls asleep yet tosses and turns the entire night in anxiety regarding the state of the world. The billions of people who have died, the children brainwashed into murder, and more images of despair haunt him in his dreams. 

To the Monokuma unit assigned to him, it is a world where those tied to despair are unable to escape the toxic clutches of their oppressors without becoming prey for organizations which seek to spread hope.


	3. Chapter 3

Monokuma lays on the ground in an empty room staring at the ceiling. _Can’t they just shut me off for the night? Program some sort of sleep mode onto me? Something? I don’t really need comfort or whatever, but this shit is just degrading! I deserve better than this! I’m a headmaster, an executioner...that’s the point of Monokuma! But no, they have me laying on the ground and giving that Togami guy food so he doesn’t die. Jesus. He deserves better, too! He got out of that school without force feeding hope onto everyone. I mean I am a little pissed about Junko’s death being partially his fault but still! God! He should be the new predecessor or something. I’m sick of this dumb elementary school kid angst party. I want the real Junko and I want to be a headmaster! Maybe not a murderous one...I just don’t have it in me. They screwed up my AI. They made me too nice._

The human unit looks at his watch and notices the time. _Upupu..laying here thinking for eight hours or whatever. That’s absolute horseshit! That Kurokuma guy gets to live the life! I’m just here rusting._ He stretches just for the sake of stretching and goes into the restroom to brush his hair after having been laying on the floor for so long. _I guess I should go check on that asshole again._

He checks around for some books with classified information. _These are in children’s book format. Ugh._ After grabbing the books, he knocks on Togami’s door. “Hey Byakuya! Can I bother you?”

Byakuya walks to the door and looks at him through the window. “Bother? No. Assist?...I suppose.” Stepping back, he waits for Monokuma to come in. “I want to go see a blue sky outside, but it’s been a sickening sort of red overcast for as long as I can remember.”

“What the fuck is a blue sky? Skies can be blue? Wait. I remember that now, vaguely in the recesses of my mind. Sounds pretty I guess! Not that pretty things really interest me.” Monokuma hands Byakuya several books.

“Kids’ books? You want me to read kids’ books...are you serious? Do you have no other reading material?” Byakuya grabs the books and scowls. “What is with these anyway?”

“Kids’ books written by sociopaths hellbent on destroying the world more than it already has been! Upupu. Sometimes even the simplest of things can be incredibly revealing and not necessarily revealing in the ya-know-what-way!”

“Why are your statements so consistently vulgar? Can you not hold an appropriate conversation?” Byakuya begins flipping through the pages.

He leans forward and steps into the room.”Yeah, yeah! Whatever! Lemme just speak how I want to, okay? Anyway...are you done with those files from yesterday? Don’tcha think I should return those before we get caught?” He walks towards the folders which Byakuya left on a shelf.

Byakuya smirks. “I copied them this morning before you arrived. Though, I could use some more paper. Is all of the stuff in here paper? If it is I will be taking some.”

“Uhh. I don’t know what it is but I’m scared to know, so I’ll just bring you paper. There could be landmines or somethin’ else that I don’t wanna stick my hands into!” He turns to Byakuya. “Hey, have you...have you thought about getting me the hell out of here and at least keeping me around as a source of unlimited info? I won’t spy on ya I promise! Unless they hack me...that I can’t help...Upupu.” 

Byakuya keeps his eyes on the pages of scribbled, cryptic, violent nonsense that the Warriors of Hope created. “I cannot fully trust you, but as I said, I intend to learn more about you. Perhaps if I am not satisfied with what knowledge I’ve gained by the time those women arrive, I’ll have to take you somewhere for safekeeping in case I need mode information.” 

“Yay! I hope I don’t give you enough information then! Also are you going to kill me after you learn all about me? Since I’m a Monokuma unit and stuff!”

Byakuya grips onto the books, clearly frustrated. “I don’t want to answer that.”

“D’awww! That’s the first time that someone didn’t say ‘’Yes, I’m gonna kill ya when I’m done with you.’’ It really warms my heart…”

He puts the books on a shelf and turns around to the servant. “What heart? You don’t have a heart! You have metal and most likely explosives!” 

“Uhh...The heart that is in my mind!” Monokuma smiles. “Do things always need to be so concrete with you? You can only learn so much before you run out of things to learn and have to rely on childlike wonder! Except I’m sick of kids at the moment, so screw wondering! I’ll tell you whatever you want and won’t leave ya hangin’.”

“Am I your mastermind or something now? If so, I would prefer not to be.”

“You, as my mastermind? I don’t need no mastermind but yer better than that Towa kid!” The robot puts his hand up dismissively. “Don’t think that just because I wanna help you that I want to become your personal electronic assistant! I got a mind of my own. A damn masterful one, too! You got that?” 

“Yes, yes! I get that you have complex artificial intelligence. Your inclination to be generous is what is so troubling to me. Why, why do you want out of here so badly? Why are you willing to follow the whims of those excruciating little filth bags if you hate them so much?”

“I’m doing my job so that I, and additionally you, don’t die, and I’m not even doing what I’m told to. God, you make me repeat myself so much...it’s gonna drain my battery and I’ll drop dead on the floor here and you’ll have to clean me up. Or the pigs will come and say you did it and throw you in jail!” 

“The police...they’re obsolete at this point.” Byakuya crosses his arms and taps his fingers on them. “So many of your metaphors and supposed goals are outdated.”

“Didn’t I mention that Ryōko bitch? I’m more like her than Junko and that was a hella long time ago that Junko was her! But she’d make a better servant than Junko so they tried to make me nicer and airheads yet analytical like she was. I’m still very much Monokuma though! Upupu! And don’t you forget it!” 

“I won’t forget it.” He looks him up and town. “It’d be hard to, when you have that palette.” _Besides that, he does look very well made...His physical features...Wait! What am I thinking? God... I’m going crazy. This place is driving me crazy. That’s what is happening._ Frustratedly, Byakuya walks away and touches the wall, avoiding eye contact with the human Monokuma unit. 

“Are you okay? Did that sushi I gave you yesterday go bad? Do you wanna brush your teeeth? There’s a restroom!” He opens the door and points. “There’s probably toothpaste in there and I think I have a paintbrush!” 

“That was unrelated to anything, but yes. I’d like to brush my teeth, so... I will settle for that I _guess_ .” _He is the definition of insane._ Byakuya walks to the door and waits for Monokuma to lead the way. 

Monokuma happily walks with him down the hall and points to the restroom. “I’m gonna go take care of stuff... Just meet me at your room or something and don’t get lost or I’ll die!” He walks to the nearby kitchen which used to be part of a restaurant and starts preparing things. _This place is oddly fancy. I hate that he has to sleep in a storage room!_

Byakuya looks in the mirror and washes his face. _They really are awful at keeping hostages. I could honestly just leave right now since that poor excuse for a person took the bracelet intended for me. However, would it be morally wrong to leave him here with it on?...No. I’m just staying for information. That is the only reason I’m not running off. Perhaps they’d kill Naegi’s sister if I did, as well…_ He brushes his teeth and walks back into the hallway, looking around carefully. 

Monokuma returns. “Don’t tell anyone but there’s an abandoned restaurant in this building and I would rather you eat there since I actually made food. I dunno. It might be awful though.”

“There’s a restaurant in here? And you want me to go there? How long before they find out we are wandering around and kill us, hmm?” He smirks. “Fine. We can go there.” 

Monokuma leads the way while Byakuya looks at the wristband he wears. _You really took that from me. How stupid. If you care about your own survival, why put another someone else’s first? You may have some strange memories of me as a classmate but...anyone with the mind of Enoshima only wants to kill and betray._

They arrive and Byakuya sits down at a counter in front of the kitchen. Monokuma walks into the back and returns quickly, placing caviar and rose tea on the table, along with a slice of chiffon cake. “Ohohoho! YouTube taught me well!”

“You made this? You’re certain? There’s not someone else? Then again who would that someone be…” The former Ultimate Affluent Progeny admires his food. _How in the ungodly hell did he do this?_

Monokuma remembers Byakuya’s privacy obsession and begins to walk off to drink wine.

“Oi.” Byakuya interrupts his departure. “Do you eat stuff?”

“Yeah. I eat! I don’t need to. The bear did, too. I don’t understand how it works but whatever. Shut up so I can go get wine!” 

“You drink wine? Why? There’s no purpose in that for you, right? I don’t presume you are some sort of connoisseur.” 

Monokuma grins. “I just feel classy when I drink wine! Got a problem with that? I’m like the least classy person ever and gotta make up for it.” He walks away to go grab his drink.

 _I have no clue why he has a desire for wine. That excuse was poor! It can’t affect him in any way!_ Byakuya eats his food quietly while Monokuma walks out and focuses on his wine.

Monokuma thinks. _Should I even be good at cooking? I mean I’m good at everything. I could watch someone do something extremely complicated and be able to replicate it right away. But it feels wrong for me to just play Stepford Wife or Betty Crocker or whatever! I’m too cool for that. I wanna leave!_ He furls his brow in anger.

“What is with the look?” Byakuya puts his fork down and gets up. Walking over, he looks at him curiously. “You seem angry about something out of nowhere.”

“Yeah I’m angry! Why am I cooking for you, Byakuya? I don’t need to do that! I could’ve just told you to do it.” 

He sighs. “I don’t suppose it is because you were programmed to do things for others! Maybe the fact that you are so inclined to help people and then suddenly enraged about doing so has caused them to see you as a mishap, understandably.” He smirks. “It seems Towa’s idolization for Enoshima backfired, in your case.”

“Hey! Who’re you callin a freakin’ mishap? I’m a valid entity. Shuddup!” The convincingly human robot continues looking straight forward angrily as he twirls his glass. 

“I do not like to admit this, but for a mishap you are extremely competent. Working for the enemy is unforgivable, however.” He walks back to the counter in front of the kitchen and sits down. 

Monokuma sighs and walks over to the bar area in front of the kitchen where Byakuya is, then sits down next to him. “Don’t compliment me. It’s screwed up. This whole situation is screwed up. I’m a high quality servant and I have to be somehow both beneath you in importance and above you in hierarchy at the same time. I don’t like that for some reason and I don’t know why. I don’t like being in a grey area. I like things to be black or white ya know?”

“I do know! There is no need for your play on words, Kuma.”

“Being a servant is so despairingly boring that I don’t enjoy it! Is hope that boring, too? Since you’re one of those hope people now and stuff!”

Byakuya smiles slightly. “I’ll admit that I used to really enjoy uncertainty, and the thrill of disaster, hurdles to climb over and the like, but I realize now that all of that is so utterly childish. To surprise yourself with knowledge, to rebuild this disgusting society, and to acknowledge the life saving efforts of others...that has been a far more enjoyable experience to me. I wasn’t raised to see it that way, but in the harsh face of reality, I do.” _Why am I confiding in him?_

“Hmm. Both sides sound a bit boring but I’ve never truly experienced either. Nothing surprises me except for the fact that you’re not threatening to kill me right now...Upupu..”

“Would you like me to threaten you? I gladly will! Do not attempt to provoke me.”

“Do whatcha want! I don’t care!” He rests his hand on his face as he leans on the table with his elbow, exerting an aura of apathy. “Just get me out of here when you leave please. I’ll beg. But I’m not going to get on my knees and beg because only losers do that. I’ll just beg for you to let me out while sitting or standing like a normal person.”

“You are the antithesis of a normal person.” Byakuya sips his tea. “If I let you out, which I do not know that I intend to do, I’ll be keeping a good eye on you. And when those two women come, there’s no way in hell that they’d understand and let us escape together. You’d have to go somewhere and hide, then meet me later, which is extremely dangerous for you. Do you really want to risk your life? I could choose not to show up, if I felt like it.”

“Puhuhu...So suddenly you care about the life of a worthless Monokuma object! Astonishing.” He drinks his wine. “Maybe yer going senile.”

“I am not that concerned about you. I’m simply wondering why you cannot decide whether or not you’re concerned for yourself.” Byakuya looks away. “I’ve grown to become fairly empathetic. People that I spent years around became murderers. Hell, I’ve even tried to let that awful stalker put her former talent to use. In your case...your programming could be unstable. I don’t know that you can develop or change as a person, or truly be honest. Though part of me wants to believe that you’re not giving me all of this information just to kill me in the end.”

“Ahahaha! That’d be a waste of both of our time. I don’t have time to waste really.” He smiles. “People think being a robot is the key to immortality until you find a robot busted in the garbage.”

Byakuya anxiously taps his fingers on the counter. _I hate how bad I feel for this man...If he even is to be considered a man._

Monokuma slowly reaches over and grabs his hand to stop him. “Tapping your fingers on the counter? Reaaally? And I thought I was the immature one…”

The Foundation member moves his hand away and hides his face by adjusting his glasses. “Don’t...Don’t touch me.”

“It was payback for when you grabbed my arm and looked at my hands yesterday! Plus I’m just an object after all. Lmao.”

“You are more advanced than I thought. It’s quite deceptive, how human you are…” He stops hiding his face. “It concerns and intrigues me simultaneously, your entire existence.”

“That’s not how you confess to people, bastard!” Monokuma looks at him and smugly grins. 

“Confess what?” He uncomfortably moves his food around on his plate with his fork. “Confess that you are a piece of advanced tech which any successful company or organization would pay endless amounts for to use as a base model?”

“Stop complimenting me or I’ll get sick! Ew.”

Byakuya rubs his temples. “Stop misconstruing my words again. It’s not what you think.” _As if I would have romantic desire for an evil robot…That’s...That’s preposterous!_

“Can we be allies?” Monokuma says flirtingly. “This is just another way that I’m asking you to get me the hell outta here...Puhuhu..”

Confused and self conscious, Byakuya can’t think of any good word response to Monokuma that wouldn’t cause him to further question his own sanity. _If he doesn’t deserve this, if he’s not intentionally keeping me here, I’d still be in the wrong for saving him! No one would forgive me for such a thing. Hell, I would not forgive myself. But to simply let such a unique creation be destroyed, I might not forgive myself for that either._ He decides to remain composed and silently drink his tea.

“Okay, I get it. I’m asking too much of ya. You’d have to remove your bracelet from me without getting caught or setting it off! And nobody else is gonna help you with that. But...Allow me to be scared!”

“I didn’t say that you couldn’t be afraid but...Fine. I will help you. You give me information while I’m here, and then either before or after _those two_ arrive, I’ll help you escape this place unscathed. But you must promise me that you will not harm a soul. In fact, prove that to me! If that means I must have you work for me first, then so be it.”

“Not interested in being yer intern but it’s better than this! I’ll take it.” Monokuma smiles at Byakuya. _He really is cute and I freakin’ hate it._

Byakuya looks forward towards the kitchen. _For me to support a Monokuma unit...this will surely end me if I'm not careful! However, if he worked on his slang habits and put on some sort of disguise he would be incredibly hard to discern from a regular person. He’s not recognizable either, as he does not have any sort of talent or name for himself besides ‘’Monokuma’’._ “Kuma. I’ve lost my appetite.”

“You should really eat or you might die young, the despair unit says as he slides Byakuya’s food in front of himself. “Okay, I’ll eat this garbage then since you insist on being so wasteful.” 

Byakuya watches him eat. “Can you even taste that?”

“Sure I can! I don’t know how though. Science is whack! Also, it’s rude to watch people eat. Puhuhu...You should know that. Did you forget to have manners?”

“Oi...Stop being so condescending…” 

“O_O Don’t tell me what to do.” Monokuma finishes Byakuya’s food and takes the dishes back to the kitchen, then returns quickly. “Betcha wish you could sleep in here! Me too. But you can’t sleep in this restaurant because we ain’t supposed to be here. Although it’s pretty damn swanky.” He peers around for cameras. _I’m going to get us killed, aren’t I? Thankfully it seems like the ones in here are broken, probably from raids of some sort._

The former Affluent Progeny leans on the counter. “Kuma. Do you actually think that you’re a prisoner of some sort as well?”

“Yup! And not in the way that cops are prisoners to the government. These kids have straight up drawn on my face, kicked me, thrown stuff at me, made me carry them...It’s awful! I’d rather lay on the floor all day feeling like garbage in a mansion than in some kid’s play tower of hell!”

“By mansion do you mean with me? I would not be allowing you to just lay on the floor all day! You would be solidifying your worth via hard work and proof that you truly do not want to be part of this despair cult.” 

“Does that mean I could have an actual bed? Woohoo!” Monokuma claps.

“Quit clapping! Of course you would. Who does not allow their employee to have a bed?”

“More proof that I’m more of a person made to be a prisoner than an actual employee here. Actually, prisoners are forced to work for their crappy governments, too! God, my life is a huge metaphor for injustice, ain’t it?”

Byakuya smirks. “You do have some somewhat valid viewpoints on society, I suppose. That doesn’t however make you morally acceptable. I know you have a desire to steal and commit arson.”

“Yeah, but that’s not my fault either. And I wouldn’t steal your stuff without asking, or set anything of yours on fire! I’ll suppress all that makes me Monokuma just to get the freakin’ hell out. Of. Here!” Monokuma sits next to Byakuya again. 

The two of them lock eyes for an extended amount of time in silence, not entirely realizing it until Monokuma interjects. “Gazing into my eyes all pissed off?”

“I don’t think that I was glaring at you angrily or anything. I mean you do cause me a great deal of annoyance,” Byakuya smiles with a sarcastic tone but quickly resumes a neutral expression. _Was I staring at him for that long? God...I’m not intending to look at him so much. I’ve just never seen any person, or thing, as confusing as him! It is bothering me tirelessly._ “If anything, Kuma, you were the one staring at me…”

“Naw. We were just having some kind of subconscious staring contest and I lost because I called you out on it!” _There’s no way it was anything more than that! The only thing I’m supposed to enjoy looking at is death and despair. Upupu...I suck at being myself. This guy’s just making my identity crisis even worse._

The noble glares at the robotic unit. _I can’t stop looking at him. I don’t understand why...I must continue to tell myself that he is just a fascinating object and nothing more…_

“Look, this has been fun and all but we have some papers to copy! Let’s go! Come on! Hurry before they realize that we have been in a slightly different location for an long amount of time!” Monokuma pulls on Byakuya’s sleeve to signal for him to follow.

Although visibly annoyed, Byakuya stands up and follows Monokuma back to his room.


	4. Chapter 4

The two of them walk up the stairs in order to avoid the sound of the elevator, they walk down the long stretch of hallway.  
  
“I hate keeping you here. I mean, you did beat Junko fair and square...you shouldn’t be involved in this again, right? That’s not okay? I feel bad for saying that! It feels out of character!” _I’m just saying things without even thinking at this point._

“I am beginning to understand, Kuma, how little control you have over this situation. You did take that bracelet afterall…” Byakuya looks again at the bracelet that Monokuma took in order to protect his life. _How will I manage to get this thing off? I know I must but...I’ll have to definitely leave him once Fukawa and Naegi’s sister arrive. They cannot know about him, but I will return._

As they walk, the two of them realize that their fingers are slightly touching and pull their hands away. “Oops!” Monokuma says. “I need to work on my hand eye coordination...Puhuhu...sorry about that!” _Damned idiot! Trying to hold my hand. Who does he think he is?_   
  
“...Y-you...Ugh.” Byakuya looks away. _This was his fault, not mine._

They arrive at Byakuya’s room, Monokuma opens the door for him and walks in with him. “Okay! Papers. Let’s copy those. To other papers. And also the books. We will copy those to papers, too! Ahahaha! Eheh…” _I’m malfunctioning. Once he makes sure I’m safe and shit after this and says I’m society approved I’m gonna go far away and do my own thing! Yup. YUP! Yes._

Grabbing papers, they go to opposite sides of the room. Monokuma sits on the floor and copies the files that he took in small, neat handwriting in order to save Byakuya pocket space for when he leaves. Byakuya notices and his eyes widen. “Oi! How are you writing so quickly? It’s scary.”

“I just am! If I wrote slowly I’d never get anything done. Not that I ever normally get anything done anyway because I’m lazy and proud of it! I told you that already. Your memory sucks!” He grins as he keeps his eyes on the paper and continues to take down notes, create small sketches and fill them with notes. 

“Hmph. I won’t make you do all of these, but the fact that you are writing so quickly is concerning.” Byakuya gets up and slowly walks towards Monokuma, taking a look at his writing. _It’s as though he’s a typewriter! Or some sort of printer! I don’t recall the bear being able to write, but he was not human. He had paws which wouldn’t have allowed him to grasp a pen so well. Additionally, Enoshima could have written out anything that would have been ‘’through him’’. I see now, the skills of the Ultimate Analytical Prowess, accurate and efficient note taking. Never has such a talent amazed me so much...Does it count though, if he is a machine and not a person?_

“Never look over an artist’s shoulder while they work! Even if they’re plagiarizing! Upupu...I may have no manners, but you should! Learn to have manners again.” He continues to write. 

“Your note-taking skills...they’re immaculate. It is only normal that someone would be intrigued. You may be a complete mistake, but some of your abilities are shocking…” He sighs. “Regardless, you’ll always be the creation of diseased gutter rats. Remember that.” Byakuya sits down next to him and continues to watch as Monokuma responds to his curiosity with an angry but focused expression.

“Yo! I want a chair. Why don’t you have chairs in here, huh? At least you have a bed in here! I’m so pissed! I don’t even know what a bed is like! My life sucks,” Monokuma rants, eyes moving back and forth across the pages he copies. 

“If I could have chairs in here I would!”

“Yeah, I’d get you one but a missing chair is much more obvious than a piece of paper by a bunch of kids who hate reading.”

“Tch. I suppose we will have to make due then.” Byakuya grabs the files and paper that he was working on and copies them in ornate cursive, occasionally looking over to see Monokuma’s impressive writing. _To be out done by some children’s toy!_

The servant looks over at Byakuya’s writing briefly. “Cute handwriting. It reminds me of some romance soap opera set in the 1800’s.” He goes back to his note-taking. 

“To write like this takes years of practice and training. My cursive is impeccable! Do not compare it to such garbage television.” 

“Why not? It’s true. They should hire you for one of those shows like _Downton Abbey_ or whatever the hell to write the notes that people read when their lovers go off to war.”

“First of all, you do realize that shows like that are no longer made, due to the world that your creators have destroyed. Secondly, I would never in my life stoop to such a worthless profession as prop design! You are incredibly delusional, however I must applaud your ability to create such fantastical ideas when you’re a mere computer.” 

“Computer? Sure. Mere? Nah. I’m pretty complex y’know! I laugh at horror movies and cry out of boredom at romcoms. I may not have a soul, but honestly does anybody really? Souls are a social construct! I’m probably just about as human as you are! I just don’t age and also I look perfect and never have health problems besides sometimes running low on battery or the occasional virus.” 

“You get _viruses_ ?” Byakuya looks at Monokuma curiously. “I don’t know that I’ll ever fully understand you.”   
  
“I haven’t gotten any viruses yet, but I can’t wait! One day I’ll get one and I’ll say a bunch of stuff that I shouldn’t say. Stuff worse than when I talk about [CENSORED FOR INTERNATIONAL AUDIENCES]. Ahahahaha!” He laughs quickly but goes back to being intently focused on his notes. “I’m almost done, slowpoke! Then I’ll be taking those papers back. Quit fawning over me, yer making yourself look real pathetic!” 

The heir turns away and starts writing quickly. “I’m not pathetic, nor am I fawning over you.” 

“Looks like Togami hurt himself in his confusion!” Monokuma puts the papers that he finished writing for Byakuya on the floor next to him.”Sorry...was that too mean? Do you want me to go get you some _burn heal_?””

“I do not understand a word that you said!” Byakuya hands Monokuma the files that he had been copying. “I remembered most of this, I’d prefer that you go return it before we get in trouble.”

The robot stands up and grabs the files from him in a frustrated manner while grinning. “You had better have remembered this crap! I don’t feel like wasting my brain capacity on it. I’ll probably just get the files mixed up. Anyway…” He heads towards the door. “If you need the files again, I suppose I can sneak them back out! I just gotta be careful.” Monokuma opens the door and heads up a few stories to return the files. _I can just keep hacking into this room’s security to get in and they don’t even notice. Damned kids are off playing house or something._

In the empty storage room where Byakuya has been forced to sleep for the sake of a pointless game, he writes down information from memory. _Damnit...Did I forget a few things? I don’t recall being distracted by anything...Besides that human Monokuma unit who is not particularly outstanding in any way. No, I don’t think that’d get in the way of me retaining any information._ Exhaling, he looks up at the ceiling. _To feel that I relate to this thing which is essentially keeping me here to some extent, to relate at all to the enemy...I must be losing it. Are we really both two prisoners in a grey area outside of hope and despair? Does our obsession with freedom and knowledge cause us to betray others? Also...could he ever truly be a decent ‘’person’’?_ The Future Foundation member looks down at the ground and swipes his bangs away from his glasses. _Never have I concerned myself with something so trivial as the morality of an artificial human._

Upstairs inside of the airship docked airship, Monokuma goes through files in the room that he bypassed security for. _If only I could do the same for this bracelet, the internet, and all of those awful guard bear versions of me._ He carefully puts all of the files away and sits down for a moment to think. _Why am I doing this? Is there some sort of despair in risking my life to try to get out of here with the Warriors’ prisoner? This game ain’t creative, nor is it fun. It really does bother me though that they screwed up my AI to the point where the idea of murdering someone creeps me out. Cognitive dissonance galore! And the rich bitch is probably just like, waiting for me to snap or something. I don’t plan on it but I can’t help if I want to beat the shit out of someone once in a while? Though he seems like the type to also wanna beat people up. We both just fail to go through with our threats! I shouldn’t be failing though! I’m not a failure, even if those brats say that I am. I’ve got the mind of Junko Fucking Enoshima and I refuse to be stepped all over unless I ask to be! Which I don’t recall doing._ Monokuma stands back up and continues to think. _God! Worrying about him so much is bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad. He’s a bad person for being good these days! I should just use him to get out of here. That’s what Junko would do! That’s what a properly functioning Monokuma unit would do._ He pushes some books off of the top of the file cabinet. _Why do I hate the idea of just letting him die somewhere while I get out of here to rain hell on everyone! That’s all I should want._ Immediately after, he feels bad for pushing the books off and puts them back up. _Yep, this is my problem. I can’t stick to any chaos without trying to clean it up._

The two toned robot manages to calm himself down and looks for something that might be mildly entertaining to Byakuya. “Othello? Maybe he would like that. I don’t like stupid games like that but it’s a good distraction I guess. Puhuhu...I’ll just make sure to beat him repeatedly to show how competent I am!” Monokuma grabs the box and takes it downstairs, quietly entering Byakuya’s room after knocking and being greeted with “What do you want this time?” 

Monokuma sits on the ground in front of Byakuya and sets down the box. “I’m sure we are both bored as hell. I can’t even use the internet anymore now that you’re here! Those assholes!”

“Othello...I suppose we can play that. It isn’t _particularly_ interesting to me but I am curious to how skilled you are at analog games.” 

“Ohohoho, using playing a game to pass the time as a psychological experiment on me! Well, I guess that’s fine...Upupu,” Monokuma opens the box and starts setting up. “Prepare to see your human inferiority.” 

“Well, isn’t your mind based off of that of a human’s? This is more of a test of my wit against Enoshima’s, correct?”

“Nah, I can probably process stuff better, like in a calculator sort of way. I’m destined to win anything that I play, that’s why everything is so boring! Imagine just knowing that you’ll win everything!” 

“ _I have felt that way many times…_ ” Byakuya quietly mumbles as he sets up his disks. “Alright, then, robot. Prove that you are indeed capable of beating me in this game.” 

The two of them place disks until Monokuma ultimately wins. “Tch...I have not played this in a long time, that is why you won.” Byakuya sighs. “I would like a rematch!”

“Upupu...Sore loser! That’s what ya are!” They start over and the despair unit once again wins. “Easy peasy! Sucks to be human, don’t it?”

“I have not known you long and you have already complained to me numerous times how being you is so awful. Not that I’d ever want to be some electronic appliance, but perhaps be consistent in your ego.” 

“Whatever. Let me have my mood swings,” Monokuma says as he again sets the board up with Byakuya. “Hey. Do you think we could try to plan to get out of here sooner? I mean I’ve got nowhere to go but like...This place just sucks more and more every day! On the plus side I hardly see those little shits.” 

“This is hard for me to admit, but it could be really dangerous. For me that is, not for you. I’m not concerned about you that much…” He looks away. “My hacking gun has no ammo, you have that explosive bracelet, neither of us are in a particularly good state to battle whatever is out there, or I would not have been caught in the first place! So, I don’t mind then waiting for those girls to show up. I shall let them clear the path here.”

“D’aww...Admitting defeat? Seeing you feel all helpless and stuff makes me sad, because the you that my mind remembers isn’t like that.” Monokuma smiles. “Playing damsel in distress isn’t a good look on ya!”

“I’m not playing damsel in distress. I’m using my time here both as a basis for research, due to your willingness to assist, and a temporary refuge. I pride myself in seeing the positives and attempting to make usage of even the worst situations. My biggest worry at the moment though is that you will kill me after giving me all of the information that you offered. And in that case, I would have to take you down. I refuse to give up!” 

“Heyyy. Stop thinking of the worst case scenario! I said before that I wouldn’t waste my time giving you information if I was just gonna kill ya. Plus, those brats would really not be happy with me. I’m not going to risk my life over yo-”

Byakuya interrupts. “Oi. Shut up. You already put on that damned bracelet for me.”

“Puhuhu..You’re right. But I’m not going to risk my life by killin’ you that is! Cuz I don’t have a good reason to. You haven’t done anything worth executing! And even if ya did, one of those bears could do it. That isn’t my role, thanks to that Towa runt’s AI medalling.” 

“You really are awful at being a Monokuma unit. However…” He looks at the board and sees that he has yet again been beaten. “Your competency in areas which don’t involve despair is surprisingly high.” 

“Awww. You’re so funny! Crushing my confidence, building it back up and then crushing it again! Look at you go,” the robot says as he plays with the disks in his hand. “Unrelated, but if you get me out of here, can you puh-lease remove all the memories I have of doin’ bad stuff to your family?”

“I’d rather not think about that, but if possible, perhaps that would be a good idea.” The heir looks at one of the disks. “This set is really cheap, isn’t it?” _Am I having fun right now, in this awful room, playing a game with a Monokuma unit? ...I am heavily ashamed of myself, but the fact that he is consistently winning by a long shot is bringing out my competitive streak. I’d prefer not to keep losing to him._ “Anyway, we will play until I win. This game is, as I said, not very interesting to me, but I don’t feel like losing to you any more.” 

“I see. So you want to play Othello with me until the end of time? Because that is how long it will take for you to beat me.” He quietly laughs at Byakuya. “You can’t just keep running up an icy slope until you’re successful. Shouldn’t you just admit defeat and move on?”

“Move on to what? There is nothing else to do here but take notes. All of the books in this place are children’s books! They’ve most likely burned anything worth reading.” 

“You’re right, they did! I don’t have any good alternatives, though, and I’m not in the mood for an interview session! ‘Cuz you ask me so many repetitive questions.” Monokuma sets the pieces that he was messing with down. “Fiiiine. I’ll be nice and keep playin’. But I’m not some asshole who just pities people and lets ‘em win.” 

_I will defeat him this time._ Byakuya thinks before his first turn. He waits a few turns and then carefully reaches over the board and places his hand on the human Monokuma’s cheek, causing him to forget his strategy and mess up. “I win.” Byakuya smirks.

“You piece o’ grade A garbage! That’s cheating! You don’t just touch someone’s face when they’re thinking! Freakin’ lowest of the low! I’m never playing a game with you again, bastard!” Monokuma crosses his arms.

“Tch. Don’t think that that was anything more than a test. I wanted to see if that would cause you to mess up, and it worked. It seems you are more complex than I thought.” _Yes, I was just testing his AI. Nothing more than that._ Byakuya adjusts his glasses. “To err is human. You aren’t human whatsoever, but to simulate emotion...I am surprised that anyone has accomplished that.”

“Emotion? You’re so creepy! That’s gross. I just couldn’t see the board because your arm was in the way.”

“It was not, I was careful not to obstruct your view,” the former Affluent Progeny smiles slightly. “Could it be, that the reason you struggle to do that which Enoshima and other Monokuma units do, is because of negligent coding? Your AI can dictate your memories and what not, sure, but I’m presuming giving a robot emotion is not so simple. I would not be surprised if that kid made you haphazardly!” 

“Jeez, don’t make me grab my brass knuckle claws again and threaten you with them! Openly admitting to playing with some poor sap’s feelings just to see if he has ‘em! Any normal person would find that hella toxic.” Monokuma grins. “Good thing I don’t really give a hooooot! I ain’t a normal person. I just wanted to win and I didn’t like your tactic.” _Yeah, I’m lying out the ass right now._

“I guess I have no choice but to treat you like a human then.” Byakuya smirks. “But remember this: My company is earned. You have some leverage due to being a unique situation. I have had some desire in the past to speak with such intelligent AI. It is just very unfortunate that that AI is you.” 

Monokuma tilts his head. “So if you think of me as a human, you’re going to be an even bigger douchebag? Try me! My emotional shield is impenetrable. I have no soul!”

“The idea of people having souls is questionable,” Byakuya looks forward. “As of late I have worked to be more considerate of the feelings of others unless they have caused me exponential amounts of annoyance, such as one of the women coming to rescue me has. If you were a biological person, I would have told you to run off and let me starve! However, your existence piques my interest enough that even if I do attempt to see you as a human, which will be extremely difficult due to your supernatural analytical abilities and capacity to feel emotion as a mere robot, I am still interested in learning more about you. Do not misinterpret that…” He looks away. “Additionally, the intel that you’ve been giving me is valuable.”

“Aww! You barely even bothered to insult me this time.” Monokuma smiles. “That’s just sad.”

“...How is that sad?” 

“I dunno, just is.” He leans back. 

“Hmph. You certainly are processing a lot in that head of yours, aren’t you?” Byakuya smiles. “Don’t overheat and break from your excessive unneeded commentary.”

“I’m going to make a jar, and every time you refer to me as a machine instead of a person, you have to put...never mind. You don’t have any money on you. The kids probably stole it.”

“I don’t recall keeping any on me in the first place! Enough with the pointless banter. We will play Othello again and I will beat you without any sort of outside interference.” 

“You still wanna play, huh? Damn. I’m bored though and I don’t want to. My philosophy is that if you can manage to cheat in a game and it helps you win, then that’s fair enough!” 

Byakuya sighs. “There it is...your similarity to the bear.”

“Thank you! That lowered my existential crisis levels a little bit,” Monokuma says as he puts the game back into the box. “...I’m gonna go get cards or something. Not that anything will really wind up being too interesting. I want a damn television and a cell phone!”

“Kuma...that reminds me. What happened to my phone?”

“They crushed it! What the hell else do you think they’d do?” He stands up with the box and leans down closely to Byakuya. “If you don’t get me out of here when you get out of here I’m going to be soooo pissed off! Nobody, robot or human, should ever have to be this damn bored. I was bored before you even came here! And I’m only slightly less bored now.” 

“If you are putting that away...Let me go with you.” Byakuya stands up. “I do not care if it is dangerous.” 

“Naw. It’s dangerous upstairs when the airship is here. There’s some cameras that I have to bypass and even a few Monokuma units here and there that aren’t as handsome and cool as I am.” Monokuma taps his foot. “I will bring down as much stuff as I can, and I’ll tell you what places are safe to walk to, but I need to go with ya just in case!”

“Fine then. It is really unfortunate but I understand your concerns.” Byakuya crosses his arms. _He somehow reminds me of Sakura Ogami. I won’t blame him for attempting to limit where I go. It still baffles me that he genuinely seems to want to help._ “If you find anything interesting, then bring it to me. But don’t get caught by leaving a room empty or something. I’m sure you are at least smart enough to not do that.” 

“I’m smarter than you think. Pay attention more. I’ve been extremely careful not to alert anyone of me being a traitor at the moment.” He walks out and sees a beast Monokuma pacing the hallway, then walks back into the room and closes the door. “Yikes. There’s a thing out there! It won’t kill me but I don’t want you to wander around...or it to break into here!”


	5. Chapter 5

“What is it? What is out there?” the former Affluent Progeny asks somewhat fearfully.

“One of those crappy feral lookin’ Monokumas that is a wannabe guard dog. Puhuhuhu...it feels good to talk trash about my own species.” He continues to peer out the small window on the door. “It could be a while. It’s probably trying to make sure that I’m not doing exactly what I’ve been doing and letting you wander around with me.” 

Byakuya backs up a bit. “There’s nothing that we can do about it? Is it going to break in here?”

Monokuma quickly looks back to Byakuya. “They have awful AI. They just walk back and forth until they see someone. The issue is that this is a hallway so...Yep! I don’t feel like letting you risk it when it could turn around and maul you within ten seconds.” He turns back to the window.

“Well then it better be gone soon!” Byakuya leans against the wall. 

“It has a routine! I just forgot the routine but now I remember. It’ll probably be like an hour at least until it is gone. I could try timing opening the door and then walk out but like, what if my timing is bad and it sees you! That’d suck!”

“You claim that your timing could be bad? You are delusional! I can’t imagine you timing anything poorly.” 

“Actually, what if it hears the door? I kind of don’t entirely understand this thing. Maybe we should both shut up! Or you should shut up. Yeah, I think you should shut up and I’ll be fine.”

Monokuma carefully backs away from the door and starts going through some of the boxes in the room. “These are office supplies! Holy crap! I was just sneaking around paper for no reason.”

“Were you not concerned before that some of these would be rigged to explode?”

“Oh I was just looking for something to fight the damn bear thing off with, but y’know what, none of the stuff in here will help except your ammo-less hacking gun that you didn’t even finish fixing.” He grabs some paper and a pen. “I’ll just write down more secrets and stuff for you until it goes away. Maybe you can write an essay on something boring! I dunno.” After tossing an entire package of paper near Byakuya and almost accidentally hitting him, Monokuma opens one and starts writing down notes rapidly. _Does he need to know the Warriors of Hopes birth certificate information? Why do I even have that memorized? Whatever! I’ll write it down anyway._

Byakuya decides to use the paper as a journal. _I probably won’t be able to keep this, but I suppose writing down my thoughts is a good way to organize them, considering my thoughts are a mess right now._ He stares at the blank page for a few moments. _Tch...Everything that I feel the need to write right now I’d rather not share...I don’t know how nosy that idiot is…_

“A smart person staring at a page for an excessive amount of time can only mean one thing! No. I’m not going to read whatever the hell you’re writing. Write or draw or scribble whatever the shit you want. That ain’t my business.” 

_What, are robots capable of mind-reading now?_ “I was not concerned about that. I was thinking of what to write. It is a bit hard without a prompt or something specific to research...My intellect excels in most areas besides creative efforts.”

“Pffft! Whining about not being creative. Hmm. I can give you a prompt then,” Monokuma pauses his writing to think for a moment. “Write what changes you’d make to me!” 

“What? That’s an odd request. And you don’t intend to read that?” 

He continues writing. “Nah, I don’t care what you think would make me better or not. But it could be helpful if you decide to mass replicate me and stick my fellow androids on shelves with the Togami logo branded onto them! Upupu.” 

_What would make him better?...I’m sure lots of things would. Let’s see…_ Byakuya writes down some words:

The biggest improvement that one could make to this unit is having him not be a _Monokuma_ unit. Also his foul language and talkativeness is unappreciated.

 _What? Is this really all that I can think of? Two sentences? I do not want to write anything that I’m uncertain of...I’m not sure if he intends to help me out of true generosity or not. Tch. I don’t want him to see me writing very little...So I will have to think of something else._ He quickly glances at Monokuma and continues writing:  
  
Other than that he is nearly perf-  
  
Byakuya crosses that out and tries again.  
  


On the contrary, I have never seen a piece of technology that has impressed me this much.  
  


 _I think I can live with that statement._ _  
  
_

Particularly impressive to me is how well designed his facial fea-  
  


_My hands are writing words that I am not thinking of!_

Monokuma looks at Byakuya frustratedly crossing out words repeatedly. “Struggling to insult me?”

“No...I mean yes. There’s too many things to write, that is why. It is hard to word how disappointed I am in you.”

“You suck at lying. I’m good at telling when people are lying and you’re definitely lying but I won’t bug you about it because the reason why I think you are lying is making me uncomfortable! Upupu.” He laughs and turns away to focus on taking his important intel notes: 

Oooooh! You jerk! How could you touch my face! Now our hands have touched like three times. Why? Why are you doing that? Gross. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Actually- Never mind. Stop. STOP. I would never like anyone besides myself. I’m the God of this world. People near and far worship the iconic Monokuma, even if I’m not really the iconic one. Oooh I especially wouldn’t like one of those jerks who killed my precious Junko! Nope. Nuh-uh. He’s a GEEK. The only good thing about geeks like him is how rich they are, and he ain’t even rich anymore! Also another good thing about him is how sassy he is and if I had a heart it would be melting. ...Nope! No. Not true. Not true at all. Upupu...Okay I really want to cross that statement about the heart thing out but if he sees me cross something out he might think that I’m thinking about him or writing about him which I’m obviously not. I’m taking notes that are gonna help him once this whole hostage situation ends and he saves me and brings me home with him to be toge-...

Monokuma decides to set the paper on fire, but Byakuya rushes over and grabs the paper. “Oi! You said you were writing down information for me. Why are you setting it on fire!” He says as he puts the fire out with his shoe. 

“Ooooh! I accidentally drew something inappropriate on there. Gimme!”

“There’s only words on this, I don’t see any drawings," Byakuya responds after picking the burnt paper up carefully.

“Don’t read thaaaat! It’s not safe for work.” Monokuma stands up and grabs the paper from Byakuya. “Freakin’ moron! Trying to read the secrets that I’m trying to burn.” 

“Good lord, you act like a child sometimes. I suppose I should add that to my list of complaints about you.” Byakuya smirks. 

“How’s this? If I want you to read something, I’ll give you it to read! And the same goes for you. I won’t read your crap if you don’t give me any crap to read!” He crumples up the paper and puts it in his pocket. “It’s called a stream of conscious exercise and helps me organize my thoughts so quit being so nosy or I’ll just like...Go outside for a long time when that bear thing is gone. But I won’t lock the door because you might need food. But then I won’t be there to go with you to make sure that you get the food safely.” 

“I get it. God. Quit rambling.” 

“Puhuhu..Sorry. I just got anxious and all since you tried going through my freakin’ personal writings.”

Byakuya looks away, ignoring the comment, and puts his fingers to the side of his glasses. _There is something that I have noticed several times that I am extremely curious about. I really don’t want to be curious about it...In fact, a desire to answer one’s curiosity is dangerous overall. However I hate not knowing the answers to things!_ He begins pacing back and forth, trying to distract himself. 

Monokuma walks over to a wall and leans against it as he watches Byakuya pace back and forth. _Is he okay? Is being in here getting to him? I hope that thing outside goes away soon so we can step out because he looks like he’s getting cabin fever and I really don’t wanna do a live action roleplay of The Shining right now._

_I could just ask him, but he never gives straight answers to me. Also, it would be an incredibly pointless feature to give to a robot inspired by despair itself. But his reaction earlier, where he lost against me...It makes me wonder. I shouldn’t wonder…There is no use in wondering about some things that have unimportant answers. However if I would like to create robots similar to him one day, this would be something that is crucial to understand. He’s just a robot, not a person, so it wouldn’t really matter…_

The throwaway servant walks towards Byakuya and wraps his arms around him. “I’m not hugging you. I just want you to stop pacing back and forth because it is making me dizzy and also I don’t want you to go ballistic.”

“I...I don’t need you to do that! Let go of me...I’m perfectly fine.” _I am more likely to go ballistic now. That was the worst possible time to do that!_

“Okay then! Upupu. Just don’t kill me because you decided to continue pacing like a moron.”

He lets go and walks back to the wall. 

“Tch…” Byakuya walks over and leans against the wall next to Monokuma, but keeps his eyes straight forward, looking at Monokuma. _He’s just a robot...So. It’s. Not. A..Big...Deal…_ “Oi. There is something that I want to know, Kuma.”

Monokuma adjusts his bangs. “Then just ask?” 

_No...Asking won’t do...He’s not a person so...I...._ Byakuya stops thinking. He wraps his arms around the robot's waist and gently presses his lips to his, softly kissing him. He realizes what he has done and quickly lets go. _Damnit! Damnit, damnit, damnit!_

The human Monokuma unit stays silent, crosses his arms and turns his head away, avoiding eye contact and grinding his teeth. 

_A-At least my stupid question was answered._ Byakuya crosses his arms as well and looks away. “What a stupid feature. A robot that blushes? Whose idiotic idea was that? There’s no purpose in that at all!” 

“Ggggghrrrrr…You barely know me…” He ignores Byakuya’s rude comments and continues scowling. He stops grinding his teeth and speaks. “What a stupid feature. An emotionless ice prince that blushes? Whose idiotic idea was that?”

“What!” Byakuya adjusts his glasses.

“Your face is freakin’ red, too! Now don’t just...do that! That was uncalled for! I’m not your type.”

_Does he think he is rejecting me? Tch! I don’t feel rejected whatsoever. I was just curious to see if a robot could blush considering he had not earlier when I would have assumed he might...I am really questioning myself right now. I have never felt this unsure…_

“I dunno why you did that…” Monokuma continues to look away. “But if you’re messing with my feelings then I don’t like it! I bet I was your first kiss and I didn’t even ask for it. So rude…”

 _I wish that he was wrong._ “Whatever. Let’s just put that in the past. It was an accident. I was not feeling well.” 

“I asked if you weren’t feeling well like less than two minutes ago and you said you felt entirely fine so I uh, don’t know what that was about then!” He taps his heel against his other foot before walking away. “Dammit. That thing is still out there.” 

“H-how long has it been…?” Byakuya asks, hoping that it isn't going to be permanently patrolling. 

“I don’t know but I feel like leaving for a bit right now!” He grabs the Othello box and sneaks out. _[34329rifj’ae;wea[2e2ar3ar[;3ar3fadfk3pa3[faw3.] ?????? ??? ??? [sdf3aw3fa3wfaw3f]. Ackkkk! I think I just started breaking there for a moment._ Monokuma walks up the stairs and puts the box away, keeping his hand on his chin and tapping his foot as he thinks. _Was I too harsh? I don’t he’d just do that to test me._

Byakuya remains leaning against the wall. _Should I go apologize to him? I really, really hate wasting my apologies on people who don’t really deserve it, but I suppose I’m angry at myself as well…_


	6. Chapter 6

After taking several minutes to calm himself down, Monokuma carefully walks to the kitchen and grabs Byakuya coffee and himself some wine. _Puhuhu...Good thing I can’t get shaky from being around cute people or I’d totally spill both of these everywhere right now._ He remains steady and calm as he walks through the hallway where the beast Monokuma is still pacing. The humanoid robot carefully pushes the door open with his foot and lets it slam behind him. He avoids eye contact with the man who suddenly kissed him earlier as he puts down the mug of coffee and glass of wine on a shelf. Resuming his somewhat annoyed expression, he approaches Byakuya and smiles before wrapping his arms around him. “That was fun, let’s kiss again sometime!” 

The heir looks down at Monokuma and puts his hands on his shoulders, pushing him away. He walks to the other side of the room to grab the mug of civet coffee that was brought to him. “It was an accident. Let’s drop it. I would say for the sake of both of our sanities, but I don’t think you ever had any sanity to begin with.”

“I didn’t ever have any sanity! Yer right. But if that was an accident, then it was the most intentional accident ever! Also, you did imply it was to see if I was capable of blushing or not. Red LED lights exist, bitch!” He grins. “Anywayyy...fine then. ~ I’m just a robot after all! But only losers kiss kitchen appliances.”

“Loser? Kitchen appliance?” Byakuya grimaces. “I said to drop it.”

“Okay. I can’t decide how to feel about the whole situation anyway!” He walks over to where Byakuya is, grabs his wine and sits on the floor in front of the bed. “Stupid beast Monokuma.”

“You could go for a walk again, you do realize that, correct?”

“I dunno. That ain’t fair to you! Not like being fair is necessarily my thing, though...” Monokuma crosses his arms.

“Then do it! Go for a walk again.” Byakuya looks at him disgustedly. 

“Nope. I’m going to subject myself to the same despair that you’re having to deal with...Puhuhu.” He smiles.   
  
“I am not feeling any despair from being in this place. Irritation? Yes. I’m incredibly irritated, but I will never give in to despair!” He sighs. “Why do you insist on staying in here?”

“I don’t have anyone else to talk to or anywhere to go, dumbass. This place sucks. I’m going to explode! The only other people to talk to would be kids who hate me, or dumb feral robots.” 

_Can robots necessarily be feral?_ “I would say that if they are feral, then so are you.” Byakuya looks at him and smiles in a condescending manner. 

“I know that I might not have great teeth and my color palette might remind you of some sort of bleeding skunk but I’m not freakin’ feral! Go look up feral in a dictionary! Or y’know what? I’ll actually just go grab a dictionary! Cuz I need one to understand half of what you’re saying.”

“Don’t you know most words?” Byakuya sighs.   
  
“Yeah, I know every word. But it’s kind of bitchy if I just open up a dictionary and start looking up the words that yer using while you talk to me. I love doing stuff like that! It’s so rude.”

“It only makes you look like a moron, but if you would like to go get a dictionary; Good. Go get one, it would be nice for you to take a walk out there and leave me be for a bit.” 

“Oh my God! I already left for a little bit, but okay. I’ll go put this wine away and grab your favorite book! Puhuhu.” He walks out carefully to avoid the beast Monokuma. 

_I just need a few moments to get myself together, is that so much to ask for? Today has been particularly questionable..._ He sits down on the bed and sips his coffee. _It is getting cold. The kitchen really is a further walk than I presumed it would be._ _Or perhaps he was distracting me from drinking it for that long._

Monokuma carefully heads to the kitchen to drop off the wine and sees another unit pacing around. _Geez! Can’t get a break, huh? I wonder if they’re recording me._ He puts everything away quietly and goes upstairs to look for a dictionary. _Do my teeth really make me look feral? I think one of those Ultimate Despair guys has similar teeth and nobody calls him feral! And he’s even more feral than I am! That’s the freakin’ worst insult I’ve ever heard._ Avoiding a couple more units which have appeared to do their rounds, Monokuma calmly walks the long hallway to the room where the Warriors have been keeping their books. _I doubt they have any God damn dictionaries even. Those kids have the vocabularies of people living in communist societies who are only allowed to use a few words or else Big Brother will kill them._ He finds a locker which says “Nagisa” on it and opens it. _This will do...Or will it? This is probably the riskiest thing to search for books in._

“Ah-ahh! Demon Monokuma…! What are you doing in here? Are you going to hate me? Are you here so you can hate me?” 

Monokuma quickly turns around and slams Nagisa’s locker, looking at the leather masked child in front of him. “Ohhh! It’s my least favorite little crappy Priest Boy! Jotaro! Jantaro! Uh? What was your name actually? I forgot cuz I hate ya so much...Upupu…” 

Jataro tilts his head and waves his sleeves. “You may be the prettiest princess’s mind inside a coffin but you’re...you’re not allowed to go through the Sage’s stuff or he will get really mad...but then maybe he will take it out on me! He’s going to tear off my limbs...all because you stole his things you u-ugly Mr. DemonKuma!”

“You want me to take yer shit then? Hmm…? Cuz I will. I’ll take what I want. And I’ll take it for my own damn usage!”

“Do you know when you’re drinking bubble tea and the tapioca looks like deer feces and then you spit it out but then you realize maybe you wanted to eat it all along?...You probably think that I look like deer feces!”

“Oh _deer!_ You certainly do. Hey, do you know what would make the Sage reaaaallly hate you? If you stole his dictionary! But I doubt you need it so, I’ll keep it for ya. Upupu…” Monokuma kneels down to his height to talk. 

“I don’t want to steal the Sage’s dictionary! But if you do then he will hate me anyway...he already hates me!”

“Then lemme take it and don’t tell him or I’ll hug you.” Monokuma grins. “After all, they hate us equally.”

“Don’t! Don’t hug me…! You’ll get sick! You’ll rot! I’ll infect you!”

“Come on, now. I couldn’t get sick even if I wanted to! Lemme grab the dictionary or I’ll write you a poem about friendship and make copies of it and give them to everyone!”

“Why do you need it, huh? Are you gonna tear out the pages to make ransom notes? Are you gonna invite me..? I wanna make ransom note macaroni art!” The Priest of the Warriors holds his hands together and continues to wave his sleeves.

“I’m going to bonk that rich demon over the head with it! He called me “unprepossessing” and “detritus”, so I thought it’d be a funny smack of irony! Ahahaaha!” Monokuma puts his hands to his hips. “Ain’t it funny? Ain’t it real funny? Lemme take the damn dictionary with me and maybe several other of Nagisa’s books.”

“No! I’ll tell! I’ll tell the Sage and he won’t be happy about it...And he will hate me for telling him.” 

“Would you rather he hate you or me love you? Because if you go tell him I’m going to love you soooo much! I’ll adopt you, even!” Monokuma tries to hug Jataro.

“G-gross DemonKuma! You must really wanna rot, huh? Then who’s gonna feed the Rich Demon? I’m not gonna! They hate me and they’ll make me do it!” He runs away as Monokuma tries to hug him.

Monokuma watches as Jataro sprints out of the area. _Puhuhu...Surprisingly easy!_ He opens Jataro’s locker to get a handwriting sample and forges a note to match it to leave within Nagisa’s locker. 

“I used some of your books to create a paper mache sculpture of the Mage. Sorry...I know you’ll hate me for this. Go ahead and hate me.”

 _I really feel bad for that kid! His parents did deserve to rot for making him feel like that but was it really necessary for those assholes to project that parental hatred onto me? I’m their “Big Sis’s” creation, technically! Dumb bastards._ The robot grabs a couple of books and a dictionary from Nagisa’s locker and carefully puts security back up before quickly leaving. _Thank God Jataro is horrible at communicating with the other Warriors or I’d be scuurrr-ewwwwed!_

Downstairs, Byakuya places his empty mug on the ground. _He has been gone longer than usual. If those children decided to get rid of him...I’ll be...I’ll be... I’ll starve or something! Maybe they’d just send some other dumb robot…But I don’t want them to...Why does it matter, anyway? I’m sure they’ve got more just like him! But if they don’t then I’ll never learn about how he was created or what these children are conspir-_

“Hey...I’m back!” He walks in with several books as well as a dictionary. “Why did you want a dictionary again?”

“I didn’t! You did. What took you so long, anyway? Did you get lost? Not that I was concerned. It just...I wanted you to get rid of this mug!” He points to the mug.

“They ain’t gonna wonder where a damn mug is. Deal with it.” Monokuma sits down next to Byakuya and hands him one of Nagisa’s books.

Byakuya inspects it. “ _This is surprisingly advanced stuff for a child to be reading. It reminds me of what I had read when I was younger…”_

Monokuma tilts his head. “Nagisa, they call him the Sage, he’s kinda similar to you I think! Well, really similar. Anyway...Puhuhu...I’d take that mug but…” He leans closely to Byakuya and whispers. “ _One of the kids caught me going through stuff. Luckily it was the delusional one. I got rid of him easily but I dunno if the other ones are wandering around, too. So you’ll be dealing with the empty mug being here for a while!”_

Byakuya leans away a bit. _He didn’t need to get so close to me to tell me that. I’m certain no one can hear him._

The robot kisses Byakuya’s cheek. “ _I only leaned in to do that!”_

“Y-you!” He covers his face. “I said to drop it…”

“Oh when you kissed me earlier? I did drop it. This was somethin’ else!” 

_To be unexpectedly kissed by a Monokuma unit! What sort of hell of a universe am I living in? Why does it not feel more like hell?_ Byakuya adjusts his collar. “There was no point in doing that.”

“Of course there wasn’t, bitch! When is there ever? Why does anyone do anything? Why do people hold hands and get married and then not have kids? None of that has any point then! Why be so pissed about something so pointless?” He grins. 

“Did I ever express being angry to you about that?” Byakuya looks away. “I don’t recall commenting on any sort of anger.”

“Well, I thought you were pissed because your whole vibe gives that off all the time! But then when you randomly kissed me earlier you seemed pissed, too! You just radiate frustration…” He stands up and walks in front of Byakuya. “I like frustration...Upupu. I can relate to it! I’m always mad.”

Byakuya looks away and mumbles quietly. _“Can’t we drop it…?..._ ” He looks to the ground. _This is humiliating. Why must he humiliate me?_

Monokuma grabs Byakuya’s hands and pulls him off of the bed so that he’s standing in front of him. He intertwines his fingers together with the man towering over him’s. “But you made me frustrated! And now I’m frustrated and not even mad. That’s not okay. I need to be mad and frustrated at the same time or I’ll just look like a dumb teenager trying to figure out their first crush.”

“I think...you might be starting to look like that last thing.” Byakuya looks away again. 

He smiles. “Do you wanna know how I know what that kinda person looks like? Cuz I looked at you! And you don’t seem mad at me anymore, just frustrated.” 

“That isn’t me in the slightest!” The heir grits his teeth, still looking away.

“You don’t have to be something to look like it. You’re probably not a dumb teenager having their first crush, but I’m not a real human. Puhuhu...Isn’t it amazing how one’s appearance can be so telling and yet a lie at the same time?”

“Your ramblings are complete nonsense, Kuma.”

“Are they? I’m just pointing out that I’m a human mind inside a robot that looks like a human, and you’re an awkward nerd parading around as a pretty, emotionless rich boy who looks like an awkward nerd...You look more and more like one every time I see you!”

“Redundancy! How tiring.” He pulls his hands away. _I let that go on for too long. Why didn’t I pull them away sooner?_

“Perhaps next time don’t fawn over someone who’s an analytical prowess with a fabricated cartoony personality, hmm?” He puts his hands to his hips and looks away. “They sure screwed me up! It’d be easier on me if I didn’t like you, too.”

“Like me, too? What are you talking about!” Byakuya sighs. “You’re not even a person. I would never develop romantic feelings for an object…! In fact I’d prefer it if I never feel like that at all. It is only a distraction to more important things in life.” 

“According to all of my inherited memories of being someone you had no interest in, and now dealing with you suddenly no longer speaking concisely and confidently...it’s an easy deduction. I’m thinking the person who I inherited memories from would have had some fondness for you if she wasn’t a feelingless monster! Oh to be a feelingless monster...What a simple and beautiful life.” He moves his foot back and forth. “But that Monaca brat made me a _feeling_ monster and now I have feelings that I didn’t ask for.”

“Your psychoanalysis of me is u-unappreciated…” He adjusts his glasses, slightly shaking. _I bet those brats planned this...To do emotional tests on me!_

“Now I bet that you’re thinking that the kids set me up to do psychological research on you. Nah. If they did though, would it matter? You did the same to me!” He smiles. “Or maybe you didn’t...maybe you weren’t just trying to figure out if my focus is broken by having my face touched or if kissing me makes me blush? Maybe you actually meant to do tha-“

Byakuya walks over to Monokuma and kisses him. “P-please just shut up...will that make you shut up?” 

“Wou-“

He kisses him again.

Monokuma holds him back and turns away. “That’s not how you tell people to shut up.”

“You’re not a p-person though…”

“That’s such a stupid excuse. Stop using it. It’s boring. It really bores me when you keep saying that it’s okay to do all of that and then pretend it doesn’t mean anything cuz I ain’t like you!” 

“Fine then…” _Jesus Christ._ “I believe I understand now.” Byakuya turns away from the human Monokuma unit, faces the wall and crosses his arms. “You know about my family’s inheritance system, as Enoshima did as well. I am to be with many women and never love a single one of them. I’m not supposed to have any permanent feelings towards another. I’m sure it is just a delusion, my brain telling me that you are an exception to that rule, or some sort of loophole. I’m sure I have had some feelings toward another before but I shoved them away quickly for the sake of that rule that you don’t follow. So, is it socially acceptable for me to think of you as anything more than an accursed piece of technologically advanced garbage? Not whatsoever. Am I subconsciously allowing myself to feel because I’ve been trained for years and years to value material goods over people? Most likely. However, I’m certain this will go away!” _Why did I tell him this?_

“It hurts that you love me like a new car.”

“...That isn’t what I said!”

“Well, I’ve always wondered what a broken heart was like, or at least what it feels like and not what it looks like cuz...Upupu...I’ve seen quite a few broken hearts. How gory.”

“That is disgusting!”

“It wasn’t my fault! Those kids think of those things as toys. It’s nasty! But I’m not fazed by shit like that so I shouldn’t be fazed by stuff like this!”

He wraps his arms around Byakuya and rests his head against his back. “I guess all I can really do is just see if you still like me when you forget that I’m fake.” 

“I was hoping that I was forgetting, but perhaps I’m just remembering even more and more.” Byakuya looks down and sighs. “You say that you are filled with as much confusion, uncertainty and guilt as I am, is that correct?”

“Mhm! I shouldn’t like you one bit! It’s a glitch! A big glitch!” 

Byakuya smiles slightly and places his hands over the robot’s. “Do you think that proclaiming your mechanical nature is going to make me feel like this forever?”

“Naw. I can’t change what I am! At the end of the day I’ll still be an electronic. I can be a human that you like and a creation that you hate but let me know when you figure all that junk out. Me? My only concern is that I’m not questioning liking you! And I’m not questioning not liking you either!”

“I’m certain now in my at least current feelings toward you. I’d rather not succumb to denial. Yet...If we were to have some sort of lasting...r-relationship...there would be so many problems...outside problems…from both sides…”

“I think the Warriors would easily forget about me now that they’ve got a human servant! Your side...Those Future Freaks, they scare me!”

“If...If I still feel like this...I will disguise you among them…”

Monokuma lets go and fixes his hair. “Look at us tsundere boys go! ‘’I-If I like you still…’’ Ahahaha! We really suck at just being honest!” 

Byakuya turns around and looks the robot in the eyes. “Well, it’s better to be safe than to be sorry. We will use our time to focus on a plan that makes whatever happens when we get out of here one where we can safely be…” He looks away and lowers his voice. “Be together…”

Grabbing Byakuya’s hands again, Monokuma grins. “Good! We haven’t worked on our plan to get me out of here! All that we’ve done is stolen information and flirted.” He closes his eyes and smiles slightly. “I think the flirting part was pretty productive! Now I know yer not just gonna dump me on the street to be killed by someone who sees my eyes and realizes what I am. Lol.” 

“I wouldn’t have done that anyway…” Byakuya smiles back. 


	7. Chapter 7

Monokuma takes the mug and dictionary that he had brought downstairs and heads out to return it. He notices that the patrolling units have disappeared, but due to venturing upstairs where the Warriors stay, he waits to inform Byakuya. Once he arrives at the room that he was in earlier, he notices that Masaru and Jataro’s lockers are open and empty, with pictures of them crossed out inside. “...Did those girls coming to save Byakuya _kill them_ ? If that’s the case...I don’t know that I want him around them. Or around me! Especially not around me!” He quickly returns everything and runs downstairs, bumping into Nagito Komaeda on the way down the stairs.   
  
“Ah, hello. Would you like some chestnuts? I am taking some up for the Head of the Fighter Class.” Nagito smiles calmly at Monokuma.   
  
“No! I don’t want Kotoko’s goddamn food. Get out of my way, I hate you!” Monokuma tries to get around him. He looks closer. “Those aren’t even peeled you freakin’ oven mitt wearin’ PoS.” 

“These were the closest that I could find.” Nagito steps onto the same step as Monokuma. “Are you going to visit that hostage? The one who helped to defeat Junko Enoshima...the worst being in all of history...The being that’s consciousness is inside of your hideous head?”   
  
“Who you callin’ hideous?” He steps down a step and glares at Nagito. “You are such an eyesore that I’m gonna get a black eye just from looking at you.” 

“It will be wonderful indeed when that Byakuya person’s dazzling hope tears your despair filled, unfortunate self to dozens of ugly robotic pieces.” He closes his eyes and tilts his head. “If he kills you and breaks out of this hostage situation before the game is over...what magnificent hope that will be! To destroy the progress that those girls are making all for the sake of him…”

“OMG. Screw off or I’ll go up two steps and push you down the flight.” Monokuma looks forward and continues down the steps as Nagito watches him menacingly. After making it to the floor where Byakuya is, he quickly walks down the hallway and goes back to his room. _Those girls are murderers! What if they come and they murder him like they murdered Masaru and Jataro!_   
  
“Oi. You’re back. How are things?” 

“Ahahahahah! Amazing! Great! Oh the patrolling beast Monokumas are out of the hallway. I wanted to show ya somethin’!”  
  
“We need to work on our escape plan, or at least...the escape plan for you. I trust that the former Ultimate Hope’s kid sister and...that woman accompanying her...will get me out of here. I’m sure both have a fondness for persistence.” 

“Yeah, yeah!” He grabs Byakuya’s hand and leads him down the hall to a door. 

_Where is this idiot dragging me off to? It is unnecessary! We cannot just walk out of here together once those girls show up._ The former Ultimate Affluent Progeny lets go of the human Monokuma unit’s hand. 

Monokuma opens the door and walks up a few steps. Byakuya follows him. “Look! It’s a balcony, and it’s covered at the top so those kids can’t look out the window and be like ‘’Ooooh time to go kill that robot and hostage’’. We probably can be out here for a little bit before that servant guy comes back down. He got the wrong food for one of those brats so they’ll probably be tormenting him for a while, I’m sure you have heard of “Nagito Komaeda”, but they don’t refer to him as that or know who he is really, with the exception of Monaca.”   
  
“Komaeda. I am familiar with that name. He is here?” Byakuya leans over some railing and looks outside at the red sky and dimly lit, destroyed buildings. _This place looks horrific. I’d hardly even call this a view, or fresh air. This sight isn’t refreshing whatsoever._

“Yep. He’s the one who replaced me! The new servant! I think something’s wrong with him because when he was getting brainwashed into despair it didn’t work all the way. He keeps talkin’ about using suffering to create hope and junk.” 

“Why did you not tell me that that was who replaced you as a servant? I know that you told me the whereabouts of the others…”

“He wasn’t on the lists that I gave you to copy. Monaca removed his file. Plus, I didn’t think he was a real threat at the moment...unlike those two girls coming for you who apparently killed two of the Warriors!”

“Killed? What do you mean they killed two of the Warriors? And how would he _not_ be that dangerous? He is a Remnant of Despair!” Byakuya looks at Monokuma angrily. 

“I found little memorials upstairs in their lockers! I’m guessing that those girls are taking them out one by one, murdering them for the sake of hope.” Monokuma looks away. “Also, I’d hardly call that servant guy a Remnant. He’s not really brainwashed. He’s just a worthless slave to these kids. The new and improved _me,_ because when they decide to kill him, he’ll spill real blood and be permanently gone!” 

“One of the girls, she promised me that she would not harm someone, for my sake. The other, her brother would be heartbroken. I’m sure it is not what you think. As for that Komaeda man...I believe he is in fact very dangerous. We must take note, for when we leave he could be an obstacle.”

“ _Ohohoho...you have a promise with some girl who you hate. Who are you leading on, me or her?_ ” Monokuma leans against the railing as well and looks at Byakuya, who is adjusting his hair due to slight wind. 

“Neither! You damned cretin. Do you not believe that that Komaeda man would betray you in an instant if he were to see us leaving together?”

“Hmm...I think he wants me to cause you lots of despair so that you can kill me and feel hope. But since that ain’t gonna happen, I see your point. He might be pretty damn pissed.” 

“I know that you are far more intelligent than you present yourself to be. Use your analytical skills for once! We must communicate in order to support one another safely.” Byakuya turns around and leans his back on the railing, no longer wishing to see the ravaged society before him. “I can assure you that neither of those girls will be killing any living person. You however, they may see differently. That is why...we need to figure out what to do. I’m thinking about some sort of disguise, although I am not sure how we can obtain that. With this disguise, we would put you in another room here and pretend that you are a Future Foundation member who was also kidnapped. In order for this to work, you will have to act and look the part well.” 

“Kotoko, the Fighter, she was an actress. I think she might have some spare acting stuff around here. Contacts or something! But for my hair, we will need to dye it. And we will need to dye half of my clothes black and also...Wait, my shirt is half black. Hmm….”

“...Y-You may have to…” _I really did not think it would have to come to this._ “You may have to look outside for the body of one of my allies and use their clothing as a disguise. I really am not fond of this idea, but it is the best that we can do for your sake. Be mindful of that bracelet that you should have just kept on me!”

“Upupupu...I really screwed up by putting this bracelet on, didn’t I? You just looked so cute!” Monokuma walks over and hugs Byakuya, leaning his head on his chest. “You think if I wear the disguise, someone will take the bracelet off for me then? Also I’ll probably have to change how I talk and stuff, too...But I’ve got this! Just hoping to magically find a dead FF guy in a sea of bodies is gonna be a challenge when I can’t go too far...What’s so romantic about listening to someone’s heartbeat anyway? It’s kinda creepy. Reminds me how fragile you are."

“If you are going to make such stupid statements you can kindly get away from me!” He sighs. “You really do have a violent mind. At least you don’t have violent intentions…”

“The robot hugs him tighter. “Sorry! I was just bein’ honest! I don’t understand all that romance junk at all! Also yeah...Um...We’re going to have to make sure that I don’t talk about dead bodies fondly when I’m pretendin’ to be an FF person!” 

“I will help you with that...I am not sure how, but I will. You need to exert some self control, that is all that it will take,” He hugs the robot back. “You may be immature, but you’re not entirely reckless…” 

They share a kiss and then smile at each other, before resuming angry expressions in order to avoid blushing. Monokuma steps away. “This is the stupidest thing that any Monokuma unit or even Junko ever has decided to agree on! Pretending to be some hope lackey in order to have free will…!”   
  
“ _Hope lackey?_ Foundation members are far more than that. Although, they don’t take kindly to rehabilitating those infected with despair. I, too, would have gladly had any object or person holding an ideology which stemmed from Enoshima’s insanity completely exterminated...until…” Byakuya trails off.   
  
“Yeah, I get it! You don’t need to finish the sentence. I hate sappy stuff anyway.” 

“Hmph...I see where we do have some chemis-....” Byakuya looks away. “When do you intend to look for...um...a disguise?”

“Hmm...I’m thinking that...well, since your friends are picking off my old bosses one by one and they’ve got two outta five...I’m thinking once they’ve got four outta five (leavin’ Monaca for last) is when it’d be best to actually start putting things into place. That means we gotta actually be hostages and not walk around and shit!” 

“Watch your language.” Leaning forward, he steps away from the railing. “So...you will use the small memorials upstairs as a gauge of how long we have until the girls arrive?”

“Yep! So we’re halfway outta time!” Monokuma grins.  
  
“Why are you grinning? That is not necessarily a good thing. Also...I think that you should probably try to find that disguise sooner than later. We will hide it in one of the boxes in that wretched storage room that I’ve been forced to sleep in.” 

Looking over the rails to see the situation outside, Monokuma squints. _Not like I need to squint, but whatever._ “I don’t see any dead Fruit Flie-...Future Foundation members down there. So, I can rule this side of the building out.”

“Fruit flies?” The former Affluent Progeny scowls. “You had better not say anything of that nature when you are in disguise or we are _both_ dead!” 

“D’aww...I thought you’d find the shared acronyms funny. But then again I guess that makes ya a Fruit Fly too!” He starts heading towards the door back to the hallway. “Welp! Dead allies ain’t gonna find themselves!” 

“Tch...If you are trying to hold my interest in you...That is not the way to do it.” He follows Monokuma back to his room. _I don’t think that he truly means to say stuff like this out of malice. He has never known any sort of manners or to see people as people. On the contrary, I have never thought to see robots as people...So perhaps some of my appliance related statements have been harmful, too. I...I should work on that._ Byakuya looks at Monokuma happily walking down the hall in front of him. _Nevermind. I don’t believe that it is actually possible to truly offend him._

  
Monokuma opens the door and waves goodbye to Byakuya. “Body hunting time!” He walks off cheerfully after closing the door behind him. _Finally, I can get excited about doing something morally wrong and a good person is supporting me. I’ve never gotten to raid a dead body before for the purpose of hope! Or is that the purpose of this? I dunno. I don’t care. I get to steal clothes from a dead person so that a cute guy can save me and that’s what counts!_


End file.
